Gaining and Losing
by xxiiixo
Summary: The old time story of a bet. One day at a party, Leon begins something that could change the relationship of the two people that were always known as best friends...but now who knows. RikuxSora
1. Prologue

**_Gaining and Losing_**

Prologue

Leon smirked inwardly as he leaned back in his chair and examined the scene carefully. The well known group of Tidus, Wakka, Selphie, Kairi, and of course Riku and Sora were sitting in numeorus places around the room. He watched as Cloud wondered in from the kitchen holding a drink right before sitting next to him.

"Let me see. How about we liven things up."

The others looked at him oddly as he crossed his arms.

"What do you mean?" Kairi leaned back against the couch while Sora placed his arm on the top of it.

"I know that this is a reunion and all but there has been something on my mind for a while now." The brunette noticed Riku quirk an eyebrow.

Tidus rolled his eyes. "Well are ya gonna say it?"

"I wanna make a bet."

Cloud shook his head right before Sora looked at him slightly interested.

"With who? All of us?"

"No. Just one person. But it does involve you."

Sora looked around at the others while Leon stood up and walked around the room. Everyone felt a bit anxious as to what he was going to do next, but when he stopped in front of Riku the group listened in closely.

"What?" The boy's aqua eyes stared up at Leon's blue ones as he smirked at him.

"Well Riku you're the lucky person that I wanna make a bet with."

The younger boy leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms.

"What kind of a bet?"

"Like I said earlier something has been on my mind since I last saw you and Sora."

Sora glanced at Riku confused and shrugged his shoulders.

"Then spit it out already." The silver-haired boy was getting sick of being led on.

"The bet is that you have to be Sora's boyfriend for two weeks."

"WHAT?"

Both boys stood up and were looking wide eyed at Leon as he smirked in triumph.

"What the hell kind of bet is that?"

"Yeah I mean c'mon Leon! Riku is a guy! And so am I!"

Kairi stood up right as Riku began to glare daggers at the boy standing near him.

"Now listen. I'm sure Leon has a perfectly good explanation as to why he would propose something like this."

"I never finished my bet."

All the teens became silent again as Riku silently seethed at the man.

"Along with being his boyfriend, I bet that at the end of the two weeks you will have fallen in love with him."

This time Sora just stood there as Riku was speechless. Cloud stood up now and walked over to the two boys.

"Why would you ever-?" Selphie asked both curious and lost at the same time.

"Honestly. I just thought of a good way to torture Riku and wanted to give it a whirl. Because I know that he could never turn down a bet, especially something as big as this."

"What are the terms ya?" Wakka was very intrigued by this because anything that involved Riku being beaten was something he wanted a front row seat on.

"If I win then you have to give me your most precious possession."

Kairi glanced over at Sora to see him staring at the ground in utter disbelief. As soon as Riku's voice was heard though, she instantly listened in.

"...Fine. If I win then you have to do the dirty with Cloud."

The blonde stood in the corner and shook his head in silence while Leon rolled his eyes and held out his hand.

"You've got yourself a bet."

Riku slowly placed his hand in Leon's and nodded.

"All right then."

A few hours later, Sora stood on the pier overlooking the sunset gazing over the dark blue ocean waters. His spiky chestnut hair swayed to the side a bit as a small breeze passed providing no comfort. His entire universe had been altered by just one sentence-one declaration.

'How can things get anymore complicated?'

His eyes roamed the gleam scattered across the horizon as his thoughts seem to do just the same. He had thought that when they returned back to the island together, that everything and everyone would be normal again. The battles they had fought together had strengthened his, Riku's, and Kairi's bond now and forever. Nothing could ever tear them apart-not after being torn from one another for two years time. Two years time they were scattered across the universe but now they were together. How is it that when you're apart the heart becomes stronger? That is something that they were finally able to answer.

He clutched his hand into a fist and stared down at the ground with a sigh.

'This is so stupid.'

His heart had belonged to Kairi for many years. And during the last year of his fighting he had began to realize even more that he wanted nothing more than to be with her. When they had finally reached home things were a bit different though. The two had been close for a while, practically inseperable. But...for some odd reason they did not click like they had when they were separated. Perhaps the longing they had had for so long was just to be reunited, to know that the other was all right. Neither were hurt when they had decided to just be friends.

But there was one person left out of the equation.

Riku.

"Hey you ran off before I could talk to you."

Sora's thoughts were put on hold as the silver-haired boy appeared walking over to him.

"Oh sorry."

Both stood there in silence for a few minutes as Riku tried to think of how to begin the conversation.

"Well...I'm sure you're wondering why I accepted that bet."

"...Yeah..."

"Don't take it the wrong way. I don't like guys it's just I have to keep my pride and if I didn't go along with it then-"

"It's all right Riku. I probably would have done the same thing."

Sora glanced up at his friend to see him smile.

"Well don't worry we don't have to do anything. We just have to put up with a few people thinking we're together is all."

"Okay but...what do you think people at school are gonna say?"

Riku sat up on the tree as Sora leaned back against it with his hands behind his head. This was the duo's normal stance. The older boy peered down beside Sora's face and smirked.

"Why are you worried?"

"No!" The boy had looked to the side to see his friend close and quickly looked back down. "It's just well..."

"Screw what people say. They won't have a reason to think too much about it as long as we don't do anything intimate. So like I said don't worry."

Sora sighed inwardly and closed his eyes.

'But it's so hard not to.'


	2. 1: Let the Games Begin

_Gaining and Losing_

_**Chapter 1: Let the Games Begin**_

* * *

Sora ran his hands through his spiky brown hair a bit uneasily as he reshouldered his book bag for what seemed like the twentieth time in the past ten minutes. Riku had met him at his house to walk with him to school and all the boy could do on the way to his doom was worry.

'I don't even want to THINK about what could possibly happen today.'

"I'm sure Selphie and Kairi already got the rumor mill running. More than likely the whole school knows some sort of tid bit about us."

The younger boy rolled his eyes knowingly. "Figures. "

"Just act normal...well maybe not necessarily normal but some form of it."

Sora sighed heavily. "Easy for you to say. Did you forget that you just magically became MY boyfriend overnight?"

"Geez you make it sound awful."

Sora just gave him a blank look as Riku sweatdropped.

"Okay so maybe it isn't the best thing that has ever happened to you, but remember it's for a good cause."

Another blank look was given right before Sora crossed his arms. "How is helping you keep your reputation in tact helping me, THE PERSON WHO IS LOSING THEIRS!"

Riku shook his head. "You won't lose anything if you just keep your cool all right."

The school finally came into view seconds later and so did the hundreds of students roaming the courtyard out front. Riku walked a few steps ahead of the boy as he braced himself for whatever was coming.

"Here we go."

As soon as the two stepped onto the school grounds small pack of girls standing in various areas of the courtyard began their daily gossip sessions and some of the jocks stood near the large elm tree shaking their heads. Kairi and Selphie immediately bombarded over to them and were practically jumping up and down.

"Geez you two are the hot topic at the school today!"

"No kidding." Sora mumbled under his breath as he glanced around and saw a group of five girls pointing and laughing at them.

"Yeah Freya told me she wasn't really surprised by it though."

"Hmmmm but basically everyone else is a bit shocked. I mean people considered you one of the hottest guys in school Riku."

Kairi saw Sora roll his eyes at the girls nearby and she looked back at them.

"Ugh they make me sick."

The deadly quartet that roamed the halls of Seacrest High. Of course they were composed of the said to be four hottest girls in school not to mention richest.

"Garnet Alexandria. I still wonder why she hangs out with them." Selphie stated while Kairi agreed with her.

"I know. She really isn't that bad."

"Elena Sohma. Even though she knows Cloud...I still don't like her."

"Me either. She can be so vicious when she doesn't get what she wants too."

Sora looked up at Riku as the two girls continued their rant.

"Then there's Eiko Carol-Garnet's sister. Now she is definitely the complete opposite of her sister."

"Totally selfish, I mean she was nothing at this school until she had that plastic surgery to have her horn removed." Kairi added right as both girls looked at the last girl.

"Rinoa Heartilly, their relentless leader. God I hate her so much."

"Yeah the venom is really dropping off every word." Riku stood near her with his arms crossed as he noticed the brunette further away from him look back at him and flip her hair.

"How in the world Leon ever put up with her is beyond me."

"Well we'd love to stay and chat about this but the bell is about to ring so..." Sora began to walk off towards the building until Selphie stopped him.

"Oh well by the way, Leon gave us word to keep an eye on you two."

"And if you're not acting boyfriendy enough we're to inform him." Kairi smiled at them evilly as Riku pushed her aside softly and followed after Sora.

"Just don't go talking any bullshit okay?"

She stood with her hands on her hips while Riku smirked and turned back around towards the school.

Sora slammed his locker shut as the lunch bell rang and students poured out of the classrooms and down the halls either to their lockers or outside. He practically jumped when someone placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey there."

He turned to see Riku standing near him with a smile on his face.

"Oh hey. You scared me."

"Now Sora we're supposed to be a couple!" Riku slung his arm around Sora's shoulders and they continued to walk down the hall.

"Do you know how old this is getting?"

"C'mon now it's only fifth period we've still got two more weeks to ride out on this thing."

"I didn't ask for this."

The brunette boy had stopped walking just as the last student exited the building leaving the two alone in the hallway. Riku moved his arm before looking down at his friend.

"You're really not liking this are you?"

"Well forgive me Riku if I don't like the fact that everytime I turn a corner someone starts whispering about me, or when I even look at a guy they glare me to death. Not to mention the fact that everyone thinks I'm gay which I'm not!"

Sora placed a hand on his forehead and started to walk down the hall to the exit.

"Sora..."

"No you know what Riku I can't do this. You are just going to have to figure this one out on your own because I'm done."

"Sora!" The boy chased after him and managed to stand in front of the door to block him.

"Move Riku."

"Just hear me out okay."

The brunette was running thin on patience and crossed his arms before looking at Riku warily.

"Two minutes."

"All right now I know you hate this-so do I. But I have to keep my word. And I mean if you want something just name it. I'll do whatever I can to give it to you but I mean just think about this Sora. Even though we're not REALLY together...we're exploring uncharted ground together. I mean we could be opening the door for some other people out there who might be battling over this same issue."

His blue eyes looked away right before he sighed. "...Fine I'll stay. But don't think for a second that you're getting out of this scotch free."

Riku grinned from ear to ear. "Never thought that for a second."


	3. 2: Anxiousness

_**Gaining and Losing**_

_Chapter 2: Anxiousness_

* * *

A large bowl of food was placed in front of the brunette boy as he sighed and turned around in his stool.

"Dear you're not going to eat?"

"I'm not hungry." Sora lifted his bag off the ground and placed it on his shoulder before heading out the front door. "See ya later."

"Have a good day at school!"

'Yeah right. That is morally impossible.'

Riku stood on the sidewalk and when he saw the boy he quirked an eyebrow.

"Not enough sleep?"

"No I just feel like being Sebastian today."

The walk to school seemed to go by much too fast for either of the boys and before they knew it, it was like a flashback from the day before. The gossip did not look as lively as it was before but it was still there.

"Hey guys! Gosh Sora you look rough." Selphie looked at Riku a bit worried to only receive a shrug.

"Where have I heard that before?" He glanced at Riku right as Kairi handed the brunette a cup.

"Here you can have the rest of my hot chocolate. I hardly drank any of it this morning."

Sora smiled lightly and gladly took the cup. "Thanks Kairi."

Riku looked back and forth between the two as Selphie did the same.

"And on that note I think I will be leaving." Riku left the group and Sora stayed behind to talk with Kairi a bit more right as Selphie ran after the other boy.

"Hey Riku wait up!"

"Since when did you take a sudden interest in me?"

"It's not that it's just...something is off between them don't you think?"

"...No I don't think so. And even if there was it isn't my business."

"I can read Kairi pretty well and Sora well that is a given."

"Whatever." He opened the door and as soon as he did, he ran into someone.

"Hey! Watch it pretty boy!"

Rinoa stood a few feet away from him with her lackeys close behind. She placed a piece of her black hair behind her ear before looking up at Riku with a smirk.

"Sorry." He started to walk past her until she stopped him with a comment.

"So how's your BOYFRIEND doing? I'm surprised he isn't close at your heels or no wait now it's closer to your dic-"

"You know what Rinoa why don't you just shut the hell up and go find a new street corner to stand on okay?"

She placed her hands on her hips and glared at his back right before the door opened again to reveal Sora and Kairi.

"Well lookey here if it isn't Sora. Oh my but what are you doing with Kairi? I thought you were with Riku."

The four girls started making a huge fuss and Riku turned around to see Sora roll his eyes while walking over to him.

"Kairi you really know how to pick em." Elena laughed after her sarcastic statement as Kairi brushed past her and continued to walk down the hallway with Selphie.

"I swear if I had the Keyblade..." Sora sighed heavily while trying to let the frustration out.

"Hmph-I don't need a Keyblade just give me five minutes." Riku pulled out a few books before slamming his locker shut.

"I don't even wanna know what you meant by that."

"What?"

Sora rolled his eyes and turned around. "What would you do with her for five minutes?"

The older boy made a mock laugh. "Very funny. I would never do that with her though. She's a total bitch."

"Glad you think so. But that still doesn't change the fact that she is the hottest girl in school."

Riku sighed and threw up his hands. "I guess so."

"If she ever came onto you what would you do? In all seriousness now."

"I'd shove her off and then tell her off."

"Oh you're a regular Dr. Suess!"

"I would though. Girls like her..." His aqua eyes glanced back at her as she winked at him playfully and turned a corner at out of sight. "...aren't worth my time."

'If you say so. But the way you keep looking at her would tell me otherwise.'

Kairi sat under the tree with her history book laid out in front of her. She lifted her drink to take a sip just as Sora plopped down beside her.

"You know what it's amazing how fast people can change on you."

The girl looked at him slightly perplexed as he leaned back against the tree.

"It's like last week me and Riku were just normal people but now...it's like we're walking cone heads or something."

"You mean pinheads?"

"Yeah whatever you know what I mean."

She reached to shut her book while turning to look at him directly.

"Times like these just show who your true friends are. And believe me Sora...I know that something good will come out of this."

"I don't see how."

Meanwhile nearby, Riku stood on the other side of the campus watching the scene between the two unfold. He pulled on his tie to loosen it up and as he went to unbutton a few of his buttons, Rinoa appeared and unbuttoned them for him.

"There you go handsome. So..." She turned and looked across the area to see what he was looking at. "Ah I see. He's already cheating on you shame shame."

Riku rolled his eyes and looked down at her. "It's nothing like that they're just talking."

Her brown eyes stared at them and she smirked when Kairi placed her hand on Sora's. "Hmmm..." She leaned up to Riku's ear and whispered. "Their actions say otherwise."

His aqua eyes stared down at her as she began to walk off.

'What else could possibly happen?'

He turned back to Sora to see him smile at the girl before hugging her. The boy pulled back and looked across the field to see Riku walking into the school.

"Thank God it's Friday!"

Sora threw his tie into his bookbag before stretching his arms and releasing a sigh.

"Man those two days felt like an entire week in itself." Riku untucked his shirt as Sora looked up at the sky.

"So what are you doing this weekend?"

"Oh not much. Probably just hangin round the house. And you?"

"Same."

A light ring was heard and Riku reached into his pocket to reveal his small black cell phone. He quickly opened it to see he had a new text message. A few seconds later, he glared at the phone and shoved it back into his pocket.

"What's wrong?"

"...Leon."

Sora rolled his eyes and looked back at him. "Do I even wanna know?"

"He wants us to go out somewhere this weekend...and he's going to have someone follow us but we don't know who."

"Greeeeat. So where do we have to go?"

"I dunno. He said he would text me later." Riku kicked a rock and shook his head. "Damn him."

"Hey you agreed to this so deal with it."

"Yeah but...Sora do you feel weird at all about this?"

Sora scanned the road a few seconds before replying. "Sometimes...but we really haven't done anything that we don't normally do so not really."

"I feel the same way."

"But just don't do anything crazy like pulling me into the bathroom stall to make out. That is definitely something I don't wanna think about."

Riku smirked before punching Sora's arm. "Trust me I won't."


	4. 3: The Date

**_Gaining and Losing_**

_Chapter 3: The 'Date'_

* * *

"Riku SHOVE OFF!"

Sora ran his hands over his face as Riku tried to push the boy into a photo booth.

"C'mon Sora! Just one picture! It'll be something we look back and laugh on!"

"Laugh on my ass." He crossed his arms and stood still as Riku showed a crooked smile.

"Fine then you've left me no choice."

Riku picked up the boy in his arms and began to walk towards the small white booth near the corner of the mall.

"Riku! PUT ME DOWN!"

Numerous people began to look at the two boys making quite a commotion as Riku smiled them off and managed to get the boy into the booth after much fighting. He peered through the curtain at the brunette who now sit on the bench pouting.

"You suck."

"Maybe so but you'll thank me later." The silver-haired boy got in as well before shutting the curtain and leaning forward a bit.

"What are you doing?"

"Something."

He leaned towards the curtain and tried to look through a small crack in the side but was unable to see anything but the trashcan nearby. The young man swore inwardly while leaning back near Sora.

"You do know that this thing is taking pictures right?"

"Right..." Riku put his arm around Sora's shoulders and the two made stupid faces as the flash appeared again.

"Okay do the super hero pose!"

Both of them stood up and hit their heads on the ceiling in the process before Sora lost his balance and started falling down taking Riku with him. They both landed on the floor of the booth one on top of the other.

"Owie!" The brunette had his head on Riku's chest as he tried to sit up.

"That hurt me more than it hurt you believe me." Riku grabbed Sora's hand and stood up just as the camera stopped taking pictures.

They exited the booth and Sora grabbed the strip that fell into the small holder nearby. He glanced down at them and couldn't help but laugh at how stupid they looked.

"Lovely picture of us falling down in midair, doncha think?"

"Oh yeah definitely. I'll have to hang that one up in my locker." Riku grabbed the strip and smiled right before looking at his watch. "Oh we better get to the movie."

"Yeeeeessss." Sora did the Napoleon exclamation of the word yes and his friend rolled his eyes.

"All right Napoleon lets go." Riku grabbed his hand and Sora instantly blushed.

"Ummmm Riku what the hell are you doing?"

"...We have a lookout remember? If we don't show this illusion then-"

"Does it really matter?" Sora withdrew his hand and looked around at the people passing by. "Riku we're in a public setting and...you said we weren't going to do anything."

"All I'm doing is holding your hand...nothing more."

"It's just...whatever." He slowly held out his hand and the silver-haired boy gradually wrapped his own around it again.

"Don't worry. The movies aren't that far away."

How could he not though? The looks some people were giving him made him want to run back to the photo booth and hide away forever. There weren't that many known gay couples or people on Destiny Islands so this was just like a rude awakening almost.

'He acts so nonchalant. Of course this is HIS bet that he has to win...I would probably be the same way. But still...'

Sora stared at the ground while passing a group of pretty girls near the food court. He could feel Riku glancing over at him every now and then, which put even more pressure on him.

"The movie is said to be really good."

"Yeah. I read the review about it. Three stars no doubt."

His blue eyes slowly drifted up to see the entrance of the movie theater. He glanced around the area and when he saw something his heart almost stopped. Two guys nearly their age sat on a bench and just as Sora noticed them, one of the guys peered at him. The boy afar off looked down from Sora and to the hands intertwined.

'What is he...?'

The next thing he knew he was smiling. The other guy had reached down and grabbed the other boys hand. Riku looked back at Sora slightly confused at him smiling.

"Hey what's with the smile?"

Sora shook his head as Riku got the tickets.

"It's nothing."

One last look back showed the guy smiling at him before giving him a nod. Sora nodded back before entering the theater with Riku.

* * *

"That was...AWESOME!"

Sora almost jumped up while drinking the last bit of his coke. The two exited the theater and headed out to cross the street. Riku glanced around the area when they were walking on the sidewalk seemingly alone and saw no one in sight.

"Whoever this person is that is supposed to be following us is really good."

"Or maybe you're just really bad."

The older boy glared at his friend as he gave up and looked up at the moon.

"Why do you think Leon came up with this bet?"

Sora stood still at the stop sign near the center of their neighborhood.

"I have no idea."

"I wish I knew. This entire thing is insane."

"Our lives are insane."

"Tell me about it." Riku shoved his hands in his pockets as they crossed the deserted street and appeared at the end of the road near the beach.

Sora went and sat down on the dry sand while Riku let the sea breeze run through his silver hair. He closed his eyes and stared upward towards the heavens.

'What purpose could this possibly hold?'

The brunette looked at his friend next to him and smirked while slowly lifting up his hand and grabbing Riku's. He quickly pulled the older boy down next causing Riku to fall on top of Sora.

"Sora what the-"

"Hahahahaha!" Sora was laughing as Riku stared down at him. Sand was all in the brunette's hair now and Riku had his hands shoved down in the substance just to keep himself propped up above his friend.

"Sora you're such a dork."

The laughing stopped a few minutes later and it wasn't until this time that Sora realized the situation he had put himself in. His best friend was hovering above him-hovering and staring directly into his blue eyes. He wasn't sure what to do as he felt a hand run through his hair.

"Look what you did. Got sand all in your spikes now." Riku shook his head with a small smile before Sora crossed his arms and pouted.

"Meanie."

"It was your fault."

"Whatever."

Neither of them knew how much time passed but neither of them dared to move. Both just sat there gazing at the other as if waiting for something to happen.

'What am I waiting for?'

Sora looked to the side as Riku slowly leaned down and kissed his cheek.

"Riku..."

The older boy smiled down at him. "Consider that our first kiss."

Sora rolled his eyes before finally pushing him away and standing up.

"You're such a dumbass."

"Perhaps. But a damn cute one."

The younger boy rolled his eyes again and started to walk off.

"I'm going home!"

Riku stood up and brushed himself off. "Bye! I'll call you babe!"

Sora gave him the finger before disappearing around the corner. As soon as he did, he placed his hand on his cheek and the blush that he had been hiding appeared.

_'That-that was totally unexpected.'_


	5. 4: Monday

**_Gaining and Losing_**

_Chapter 4: Monday_

* * *

"Monday. God I hate you so."

Sora practically banged his head against his desk while Kairi stood next to him.

"It's not that bad. Just as long as you have your coffee and what not. But hey didn't you and Riku go out Saturday?"

"Yeah."

She leaned down closer to him so that she could almost whispered. "So how was it?"

"...Weird."

The girl rolled her eyes before pulling up a chair to sit next to him. "Sure it was. You went on a date with your best friend."

"And a guy...a GUY!" He emphasized the word guy in a low whisper and she smiled.

"Don't worry you've only got a week or so left of this and then it'll be over." She placed her hand on his and he stared at their hands.

"I just hope I can last another week." Sora laid his head on his arm as she placed a hand on his cheek.

"You'll be fine."

But he wasn't so sure. The whole escapade on the beach the other night had thrown the boy for a loop somewhat. Why had he felt so weird-so compelled to stare into Riku's eyes for so long? And he wondered even more why he had reacted so oddly when his friend kissed him on the cheek only in a friendly manner and nothing more. It was almost as if the kiss was a mocking of their so called 'relationship' but why couldn't Sora just write it off?

'All of this is so stupid.'

Kairi glanced up to see Riku standing in the corner of the room talking to the last person he should ever talk to...Rinoa. She tapped Sora's head lightly before pointing over at them and the boy slowly glanced back.

"What...?" He looked strangely confused, as his friend appeared to be talking to the girl normally and even allowing her to touch his arm and openly flirt.

"Since when does Riku talk to her?"

"I don't know." Sora turned back around and stared straightforward while trying to gather his thoughts.

'Riku and Rinoa...didn't see that one coming.'

The silver haired boy finally appeared at his side a few minutes later and pulled up a chair on the other side of Sora's desk. After dropping his book bag to the ground, Riku leaned his shoulders on the desk and looked at the other boy.

"What's up?"

"What's up? What's up with you and Rinoa?" Kairi asked curiously as the boy waved his hand in the air.

"Nah nothing to worry about. She just keeps talking to me you know asking me random questions just to get my attention."

Sora rolled his eyes just as Kairi did and they both looked at him dumbly.

"Could've fooled us."

Riku was a bit taken aback at the duo statement and he scratched his head.

"Look if you don't believe me that's fine. But really nothing is going on with us."

Leon leaned against the railing of the porch as Riku walked up the steps to his front door.

"Bout time. Did you get lost?"

"God what could you possibly want?"

"Just have a few questions is all."

Riku stood near the door with his hand on the doorknob as Leon crossed his arms.

"I heard a few interesting things from your date Saturday night."

The smirk on Leon's face caused the younger boy to glare slightly.

"So? I'm just going along with the bet."

"You sure? Cause your reaction is telling me otherwise."

"Listen what happens between me and Sora shouldn't be any of your business."

"I just thought you said nothing was really going on. Perhaps we should just call this whole thing off since I am going to win."

He glared at the older man even harder before grabbing Leon by the collar of his shirt. "We're not calling anything off because I am not going to lose but you need to hear this. This is a bet okay. And you just need to let things flow. You understand-no spies, no threatening text messages-nothing."

"...If you want it that way fine. Just don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Leon started off the porch as Riku scoffed and opened the front door.

"That isn't saying much."

"I've been thinking about something lately..."

The unfinished statement caught Sora's attention as the two boys headed for another day of school.

"What is it?"

"What if Kairi is Leon's informant."

Sora stared at his friend in disbelief and shook his head hastily. "How could you even think of asking that Riku? I mean Kairi is our best friend and what should it matter if she knows anyway. This isn't real!"

Riku sighed heavily and stared at the ground. "I know but still. Sora me and Leon sort of had a small confrontation last night and I just think that he might have put Kairi up to do his bidding now since he really can't do it anymore."

The younger boy stared up at Riku and glared at him. "All you care about is this stupid bet don't you?"

"I will not lose Sora. I will not back down. It isn't in my nature."

"Well I'm sorry. But I am not about to give up one of my best friends for some stupid bet that I don't even want to be in!" He ran off towards the campus a few blocks away leaving Riku to run his hands over his face and chase after him.

"Sora! Sora wait!"

The two approached the school grounds right as the bell rang and the students started running into the building. Sora slowed down as he neared the door behind a few other students but Riku quickly appeared only a few feet away from him.

"Sora-!"

"Just go away Riku."

He swiftly budged through a few students but Riku was blocked out before he could follow. Rinoa smirked at him from the inside of the building.

"Awww the lovers had a fight."

"Shut up." Riku finally got through and hastily took off down the hall to homeroom.


	6. 5: Hookey

**_Gaining and Losing_**

_ Chapter 5: Hookey_

* * *

Kairi leaned against Riku's locker the next morning and smiled at him lightly as he appeared around the corner and headed towards her. He sighed inwardly as he approached her.

"Kairi I need to say-"

"Sora already told me...well I had to force it out of him actually."

He tried to find somewhere else to look and quickly began to fiddle with his locker.

"Yeah so listen I didn't necessarily mean those things literally it was just something I had been thinking about and-"

"Riku-calm down. I'm not going to crucify you or anything. I understand that this whole Riku and Sora together thing has both of you acting a bit crazy-not to mention paranoid."

"...Thanks...so you're not mad?"

"Of course not. Just don't think about me like that anymore okay? I'm always on your side and I'd never spy on you like that...cause honestly I really could care less what you two do."

Riku rolled his eyes as she reached up and hugged him. He pulled back and shut his locker before looking up to see Rinoa glare daggers at the girl in front of him. She then glanced at him and disappeared further down the hall.

'She will never...'

"Sora." Kairi wondered over to the brunette who began to slowly walk towards his locker near Riku's.

The older boy wasn't sure what to do since they had just fought the previous day and both of them had been steering clear of each other. Riku felt someone bump into him and just as he looked back he saw Sora standing in front of his locker smirking at him.

"I told you not to go around hitting on people."

"Oh well I'm sorry. But you're just so hot that I couldn't resist."

Kairi's eyes went wide and she instantly began to walk off right as the hallway emptied. "Well then see you two later!"

Sora felt Riku kick his butt playfully before he leaned against the locker and crossed his arms.

"So, what have you been up to because you see I was so brutally ignored for these past twenty four hours."

"Well lets see, I came to school, went home, ate, played video games, went to sleep, then woke up again, got dressed, ate breakfast, walked to school, and now I'm talking to you."

"Lovely." Riku replied sarcastically right before the other boy glanced around. "What's wrong?"

"No well..."

Sora avoided his friend's gaze as Riku took a few more steps forward and leaned his head down a bit to look into his blue eyes. "What? Tell me."

"...There's a new rumor going around."

"...And? Is it about us?"

"Errr not necessarily both of us...just you."

Aqua eyes looked down at him confused and Sora sighed.

"C'mon now you HAVE to tell me."

He began to fiddle with his book bag strap while trying to think of how to explain it. "How should I say this..." Sora shook his head and just quickly blurted it out. "...People think that our relationship isn't real and that you have been sleeping with Rinoa."

No words could express the shocked look that was crossing Riku's face as the information began to process in his mind. He had to blink a few times to try and regain his sense of reality.

"Well that's ummmm real interesting."

The brunette nodded but when he saw Riku slide to the floor he quickly got down on his knees near him. "Hey are you okay?"

"Yeah I-I'm fine. But why would..."

Sora sat down next to him and looked over at him. "Obviously someone's jealous."

Riku banged his head against the locker and sighed heavily. "Damn that bitch!"

"Riku don't worry I mean I'm sure that this will blow over in a few days."

"...Like I care."

"Well...what are we going to do about the other part? I mean if word reaches Leon about that then..."

"I already told you that he wasn't going to be bothering us anymore."

Sora lowered his eyes slowly. "Right. Forgot about that."

A few minutes passed as they just sat there in silence. However, the first period bell rang and Riku stood up. He held out his hand to Sora and smirked playfully.

"Lets play hooky."

The younger boys eyes went wide and he took Riku's hand. "...What for?"

"If everyone realizes that we skipped school today...they'll know something is up between us."

Sora smiled back just as playfully before untucking his shirt and loosening his tie. "You sound like you want them to think that."

"...It would help disprove the thing about Rinoa so hell yeah!"

He grabbed the brunette's hand and headed for the door.

"Well wait where are we gonna go?"

Riku looked back and smirked. "My folks aren't home. We'll go to my place."

* * *

Sora laid back on the large king sized bed graced with black and blue lined sheets. He had unbuttoned his shirt to the top portion of his chest and was relaxing while his friend sat down on the love seat near the window and picked up his guitar.

"What are ya gonna play?"

Riku looked over at him and smiled lightly. "Something new."

His milky white hands held the guitar close to his body before he used his free one to tune the instrument a bit. Only seconds later did he begin to move the pick along the strings of the guitar causing a soft tune to appear.

"It's raining just like yesterday."

Sora felt the soft, soothing voice of his friend sooth him and as his low and sweet voice continued to sing he closed his eyes.

"My tears are not subsiding again today-My heart is broken again-And this time I don't know if it will mend."

His eyes slowly opened after he heard this line causing him to sit up as well.

"With each tear that I cried-A part of me died-And each part of my soul-Became less whole causing me, causing me-"

The brunette stared at Riku as he had his eyes closed while continuing to sing.

"To be broken-how can this be?-I am broken-but why can't I see-I don't know if I can mend my soul again-So how can I be unbroken?"

He stood up and took a few steps towards Riku causing the older boy to open his eyes and look up at him while continuing.

"I hope that someday I will learn-I must become so much stronger-But now all I can do is dwell-On this single moment in time-And everyday that passes by-Without my strength I just might die."

'...Riku...'

Sora felt compelled to move closer so he stood directly in front of Riku now.

"And every heart that remains whole-I feel my soul unraveling more causing me, causing me-"

'When you lost your appearance as yourself...did you feel this way? Or was it when you lost control of yourself and your heart?'

Riku felt Sora move a strand of his silver hair out of his eyes while gazing at him sadly.

"To be broken-how can this be?-I am broken-but why can't I see-I don't know if I can mend my soul again-So how can I be unbroken?"

'Are you unbroken now? Or do you still feel as if...'

His aqua eyes stared into Sora's blue ones making the other boy feel even sadder for him.

"The day the darkness overtook me-I saw you deep inside me-And now I know for sure that I-Yes I-Won't be unbroken-How can this be?-Forever broken!-Oh-I don't see how I can continue on if I'm always this way-Broken I am!-Forever now!-Broken I am now oh oh oh oh-I can't be unbroken."

'His words...they held so much meaning...broken...'

Sora gazed at his friend through teary eyes as Riku looked down at the floor and placed his guitar back in the case. The younger boy's tears began to fall but even more so when he noticed Riku not looking at him.

"...Are you still broken...Riku..."

He slowly took a few more steps forward closing the distance between them. Sora placed his hands around the other boy's neck and embraced him.

"...Sora..." Riku placed his arms around the smaller boy's body and sighed contently against his chestnut colored hair. "Even though you found me...and even though we're through fighting...I still feel like a part of me is missing..."

Sora sat on his knees in front of him and looked up into his aqua eyes. "What is it Riku? Just tell me what it is and I'll give it to you."

A hand glided across Sora's face slowly to wipe away the few stray tears. "Sora...this is something that you cannot give me."

"Dammit Riku! How can you say that if you don't let me try?"

The silver haired boy leaned back in his seat. "Because Sora...you can't give me this. An emotion...one of the strongest emotions a person is capable of having..."

Sora felt his heart stop almost when he saw Riku lean forward towards him.

"Love..."


	7. 6: Misconceptions

**_Gaining and Losing_**

Chapter 6: Misconceptions.

* * *

Sora sat there practically speechless as he had just heard his best friend whisper a single word that made him shiver.

"Love..."

His blue eyes looked up at him and felt sadness lurch through his heart at the sight he saw. Riku sat there smiling at him...just smiling.

"How can you smile even when...your heart is in such pain?"

The older boy closed his eyes for a few seconds while pondering on the thought.

"Because I know that even though I am still in this pain-one day everything is going to turn around. I can just feel it."

The determination sparked in Riku's eyes causing Sora to feel a bit better.

"You're so strong." He stood up and turned around while heading for the doorway. "I was always jealous of your sense of determination Riku."

"And I was always jealous of how you could always bring people's hearts together."

The light ringing of a phone was heard and the older boy quickly got up and ran through the doorway past Sora.

"Hello?"

Sora leaned back against the wall and sighed.

'Jealousy...I want to never feel that again.'

* * *

"Sora!"

A small hand glided across Sora's back the next morning as Kairi appeared next to him with her usual smile.

"Hey."

"What happened to you and Riku yesterday? I mean I saw you guys here before first period so..."

"Oh yeah...ummm that. Well we just uh-"

Sora tried to search for the words as many of the other students scattered around the hallway began to clamour around in a circle to listen in. He glanced around and when his eyes landed on Rinoa stationed in the near center he felt a bit uneasy. However, right before he was about to say something, a firm grip held him around the shoulders and pulled him close.

"We decided to skip and go back to my place for the day."

Loud talking was heard after this statement was made and Sora gazed up to see Riku holding him close to his chest while smirking at the people surrounding them. Rinoa made what sounded like a 'hmph' noise before turning and heading down the hallway which in turn caused most of the other students to do the same.

The brunette sighed contentedly against the older boy's chest as the three were finally alone again. "THAT was extremely unpleasant."

Kairi giggled lightly as she folded up the geometry notes she had been studying for the past few minutes or so. "No kidding. But just what did you two do yesterday?"

"Just that." Riku replied as Sora nodded in confirmation.

"Oh..." She looked away with an odd look causing both boys to sweatdrop.

"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!"

"...If you say so." The two sighed and she shrugged as they began to head for homeroom.

Some hours passed until Physical Education ended. Riku was talking with the coach of the basketball team about a few things as Sora stood off to the side near the bleachers chatting with Kairi about what he had missed the day before.

"I couldn't believe it either."

The brunette glanced at the clock on the back of the gym to see ten minutes had already passed since he had began talking with Kairi in order to wait for Riku. He noticed a small moment when the other boy glanced over at him and Sora pointed towards the clock before explaining to Kairi and heading to the locker room.

It had already cleared out when he entered seeing as he was ten minutes late and lunch was next period. He quickly grabbed his bag out of his locker and threw off his clothes. After turning some knobs in the small shower, he let the water fall over his face and down along his body. It was not until he started scrubbing his stomach that he heard a loud growl which signalled that he was definitely hungry. He hurridly finished washing himself before turning off the shower and drying himself off.

Only a minute or so later was he dressed and heading out the door.

'Mmmmm I can't wait to eat that pizza.'

Sora reached the lunchroom a few minutes later and it was not until he went to get into the long line that he realized he had forgotten something.

"Crap my necklace!"

He turned around and almost bumped into Kairi who had just walked in herself.

"Oh hey. Where's Riku?"

"Oh ummm not with me."

"So I see. Where are you in a hurry to get to?"

"Forgot something in the locker room. I'll be right back."

"Oh okay. I'll get your food for you!"

"Thanks!" He managed to yell back while running out the door and down the hallway towards the stairwell.

Meanwhile, Riku had just finished taking his shower and was in the process of buckling his school pants. He moved a strand of his hair from his eyes before beginning to look through his bag for his white shirt, but a small amount of footsteps caught his attention and caused him to stop.

"Sora...is that you? You left your necklace you dork." He held the silver necklace with a crown in his hand as the footsteps stopped near the lockers.

"You've got the wrong person babe."

The sound of a girl's voice made Riku look oddly and move to see just who was in there with him.

"...Rinoa what are you doing in here?"

"Oh just...taking a walk...thought I'd come by and see you." She approached him slowly which made Riku begin to back up.

"Well you saw me so goodbye." He lifted his hand to wave sarcastically as she smirked playfully.

"You don't seem to understand-I said I'd come see you but..." The girl finally managed to back him up against a table and she leaned against him seductively. "...I never said I would leave."

Then in all surprise and shock, she forcefully grabbed him into a fierce kiss which caused Riku to pull away quickly.

"What-what the hell are you doing?"

She began to run her hands down his well-built chest. "I've been thinking lately Riku...I think you should be bisexual..." Her hands stopped at the top of his pants and she glanced down at them before looking back up at him sexily. "...Like me."

He felt her lips press against his own again as she managed to unbuckle his pants and push him down on the table. Riku felt compelled to push her off of him, but as she began to climb on top of him he felt her tongue enter his mouth. His aqua eyes widened in shock but as her hands gradually slid down into his pants he could not help but give into the pleasure he was feeling.

Unknowingly, someone had slipped back in through the back door of the locker room and was watching the scene in complete shock. Sora stood behind the first row of lockers near the very back of the room and found himself in complete shambles at what he saw.

'...Riku...Rinoa...what the-'

The brunette felt something inside of him losing control and he quickly headed back out of the room. His blue eyes closed hastily as he leaned against the wall in the hallway and tried to brace himself.

'What-why-what's wrong with me?'

His thoughts raced and nothing seemed to fit at all. He knew Riku had always despised Rinoa so why would he do this...why now? But what he was more worried about was why was he so worked up over this? Why did the emotion raging inside of him feel almost like the one thing he never wanted to feel again?

A sharp reality check dwelled inside of Riku's mind and he hastily pushed the girl away from him before standing up. She flipped her hair as he blinked a few times and ran his hands over his face.

"What's wrong? Am I not hot enough for you?"

Riku glared at her while rebuckling his pants and pulling on his shirt quickly. "No I'm just not interested."

"Your lips seem to think differently." She gave him a seductive look as he picked up his bag and started for the door as fast as he could.

"Just back off. I'm with Sora."

"Sure you are."


	8. 7: Miscommunications

**_Gaining and Losing_**

Chapter 7: Miscommunications

* * *

The first half of lunch had already passed when Riku finally strolled over to the two sitting under their usual tree on the school campus. He had managed to compose himself a bit from the small escapade that had just occurred only minutes before. His tie hung loosely around his neck and small bits of his silver hair were still in the process of drying.

"Bout time. We weren't sure you were ever going to get here." Kairi stated somewhat sarcastically as he sat down in front of them.

"Well coach had a few more things to talk to me about."

The older boy glanced over at Sora to see him staring off rather distantly. He pulled out the silver necklace from his pocket and hit the brunette's shoulder.

"You left this."

Sora snapped back into reality as he felt the necklace dropped into his hand.

"Oh...thanks." He gradually glided it over his head and placed it around his neck.

Riku felt something was wrong and he looked over at Kairi to see her shrug and continue eating her candy bar.

"So Sora...what are you doing this weekend?"

When he saw blue eyes look into his own, he knew there was tension in the air. His hands opened the bottle of coke near him right before Sora continued to stare at him.

"Nothing. And you?"

Did he even dare to look up? The silver-haired boy glanced up and saw a flash of something pass in those blue eyes peering through him.

Anger.

"Um-I'm not sure yet."

"Oh! You guys could maybe go out with me and Selphie Saturday! We're thinking of going out for a nice dinner at that new restaurant near the beach."

As Riku tired to continue listening, he could not help but feel a sense of panic run through him at the assumption that Sora knew what had happened.

'If he knows...but wait...why should he care but why should I care that HE cares-now I'm just ugh.'

"Sounds like a blast." The reply the brunette boy gave dripped with almost death itself.

'...I can't believe he'd...'

Sora hastily picked up his book bag as soon as the bell was heard and he took off towards the building. Kairi just looked at Riku with wide eyes as he sighed.

"The quantum theory states that the more time celestial objects spend near each other, the closer they get."

The woman in the front wrote what she had just spoken on the board as Riku leaned his head against the palm of his hand and stared down at his desk.

'Sora...'

He looked to his left and saw Sora with his head on his desk. The older boy glanced up at the writing on the board before leaning his head back on his hand and staring at Sora.

'The more time they spend together the closer they get...'

The bell rang and all the students quickly got up and hurried out the door. Sora slowly lifted his head while Riku stood up.

"Hey have you thought about what Kairi mentioned earlier?"

Nothing was said to him after this question was asked. The younger boy slung his bag over his shoulder before walking out of the classroom and down the hallway towards the exit. Footsteps were heard directly behind him as he reached the door and walked outside past some other students.

"Sora!"

Riku held onto his bag while trying to keep up with his friend. As they were crossing the street, the silver haired boy managed to reach him and started walking beside of him.

"Sora what is up with you?"

His blue eyes stared straight ahead but as they reached the sidewalk leading back to their neighborhood, Riku stood firmly in front of him and placed his hands on Sora's shoulders to look him straight in the eye.

"You were just mad at me yesterday! What could I have possibly done since then?"

He was not sure if asking that was the best idea afterwards because Sora glared at him fiercely before pushing him away from him.

"Don't even start with me."

His words were cold and so was his heart. Sora could feel Riku following him so he quickened his pace and was soon running down the sidewalk.

"Sora! Sora stop!"

"Riku just go away!"

"But I don't want to!"

Sora stopped and slowly turned to see Riku rather disheveled now as he dropped his bag to the ground and took a few steps forward.

"No...don't come near me..."

He stopped dead in his tracks as the other boy shook his head while looking at the ground.

"I saw you-you and Rinoa in the locker room today."

Riku felt his heart drop when he heard the brunette say those words. He began to walk towards him again but Sora moved back.

"No...stop..."

His aqua eyes looked around rather distressed as Sora gripped his fist.

"Riku...I don't know if this is going to work anymore."

"Why not?"

"...It just won't okay."

Sora then continued running down the sidewalk and out of sight leaving Riku alone and in complete loss.

'The closer we get...it feels like farther.'

Riku placed his hands on the back of his head while beginning to feel as he did a year earlier.

**Sadness.**

Lonely.

_Despair._

Confusion.

_**Emptiness.**_

Why did he suddenly feel this way now?

'Sora...did you keep me from feeling these things?'

The unhappy vision of Rinoa even near him caused his emotions to rage and his heart to cry out.

"Sora...come back...I need you..."

He fell to the ground as small drops of rain soon began to fall all around him bringing darkness both upon the island and his heart.


	9. 8: Realign

**_Gaining and Losing_**

Chapter 8: Realign

* * *

Sora rolled over in his bed the next morning and threw his raging alarm clock into the trashcan nearby. His hands ran over his face right as he unhurridly sat up and stretched. The boy threw on his clothes and headed out the door without even bothering to eat breakfast. He honestly was not in the mood to do anything at all, not after yesterday's events had played out.

'He better not talk to me today or it'll be hell to pay.'

The teen was extremely irritable at this moment since he was unable to get even an hour's sleep last night. So much had been on his mind, so many questions spawned within him. But what made him even madder was that fact that he could not figure out how to answer any of them.

Why was he so upset about everything?

Was it because Rinoa was just a bad person?

Or because Sora felt something that he never felt before?

He stared up at the sky and glared.

'Maybe I should just become the darkness.'

Sora sighed heavily knowing that was never possible. He was too good for that.

'I wouldn't feel anything then.'

But was that really such a great thing? Did he not want to feel anything for anyone? To have this one emotion-no matter how painful it was, it was still inside of him and he could not rid himself of it.

'Riku…I hate you…'

Even though he felt this new emotion it still did not make him forget the old one. He still felt anger towards the silver haired boy and he honestly was not sure if he could ever forgive him for this.

As the school came into view again, the brunette felt like turning and running back the way he came. His feet barely even touched the campus before Kairi came running up to him.

"Hey! Where's Riku?" She looked behind the boy when she saw he was not present.

"I don't know or care."

Her blue eyes looked confused as he began to walk forward.

"What happened now?"

"Nothing. I don't wanna talk about it."

'I don't want to talk about anything dealing with him.'

It was like the closer he had gotten to Riku the more complicated things became. The more complicated his feelings became. He felt better off without it.

"Well I should forwarn you of something."

"God what is it today?"

They both stood outside the front door now while the students made their way into the building seeing as there was only a few minutes before homeroom.

"It's Rinoa again…I saw her this morning and she was talking as if she was going to do something."

He gave her a blank look. "Something like what?"

"I'm not sure. But the look in her eyes…I just didn't trust it. Just be careful okay?"

Sora just rolled his eyes without a care in the world and entered the building.

"Whatever."

* * *

Half of the day passed by and Riku still had not shown up for a class. Sora sat at his desk and fiddled with his pen in an agitated mood. Even though he had told himself that he didn't want to see the other boy he knew that he still wanted to at least be able to glare at him as a way of punishment. But how could he do that without him here?

The bell startled him from his daze and he unhurridly gathered his stuff and headed out of the classroom. Crowds of students were trying to make their way to the cafeteria as he looked down at the ground. He slowly lifted his gaze to see a mass of silver hair and aqua eyes a few feet away from him. The older boy looked almost as he had at lunch the day before-in a complete mess. Both of them began to walk past each other when someone was heard talking rather loudly nearby.

"It's about time Riku. We missed you this morning."

The evil face of Rinoa stood near a row of lockers along with her three other clones. A smirked crossed her face as she crossed her arms. Pretty much all of the students that had still been either lingering in the halls or trying to get into the cafeteria were listening in now.

"Go bother someone else. I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now."

Riku stood some feet behind Sora as he went to turn back around and continue walking but she spoke up again.

"Well you might want to make some time for what I am about to say."

Sora watched as she walked forward towards the two of them. She stood right in front of the younger boy and glared before leaning towards his ear to say something.

"He told you right?"

Riku heard this and turned around as she looked up at him and smirked again.

"Did he tell you that he kissed me back?"

"Get the hell away from him!"

The older boy ran over and pushed her away while Sora stood there in a slight daze.

"Awww what's wrong. He deserves to know the truth."

"There is no truth in those words."

She saw the glare he sent her which made her smirk even more. Her eyes showed nothing but pure evil and that was nothing short of her intentions.

"Then prove me wrong."

"W-what?"

He looked at her slightly confused and she pointed to Sora.

"Prove me wrong. You say you didn't kiss me back, so kiss Sora."

Sora felt his eyes go wide as he stared down at the ground. Riku's hand gripped into a fist while he tried to decide on what to do.

"If you're really with Sora it shouldn't be a problem for you right?"

He looked over at Sora to see him still staring down at the ground. Slowly, the older boy stood in front of him and placed his hands on his shoulders causing Sora to look up. His blue eyes were slightly dazed but when he rememered what he had walked in on just yesterday he began to feel the anger again. Riku leaned down beside him and whispered something.

"I'm sorry…don't worry…I'm not going to kiss you…"

Sora heard the compassion in his friend's voice and he felt like breaking down there. He had built up so much anger in him over the past hours but just hearing those two words spoken so gently-so softly-it caused him to almost want to cry.

Riku placed his hands on tan cheeks before leaning down. He had almost reached Sora's lips when he quickly moved his thumbs over his own lips and pressed them against Sora's. His silver hair covered the sides of his face which showed nothing but the two kissing to everyone else watching.

"Ugh-lets go."

Rinoa turned and walked off as her three other followers did the same. Only a few seconds passed before the other students began to follow suit and soon the two boys were left alone again. Riku pulled back and Sora stared down at the ground.

"Sora…I…Yesterday was a mistake and-"

He stopped talking though when he felt arms around him and a warm body leaning against him. Riku put his arms around the younger boy and held him tightly.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry I just…I don't know what happened…"

"I don't know why I got so mad at you…I just snapped."

"It's okay. But look the brightside is that we've only got a few more days to carry this thing out then it's over."

Sora nodded and looked up at him with a small smile. "Right."

But as the two began to head down the hallway, something kept crossing Riku's mind.

'Then why do I feel so sad about it?'


	10. 9: Date Night II

_Gaining and Losing_

**Chapter 9:** Date Night II

* * *

"_Hey so, I'll see you tomorrow night right?"_

_The brown-haired boy had nodded to his friend as he received a trademark smile from him before he departed. They had walked home together after the far too entertaining day at school that afternoon. But it felt like something had been in the air between them, almost like a subtle tension._

It would have been a lie to say that the little fiasco that had occurred in the halls of Seacrest High just the day before wasn't having a long-term effect on Sora.

Ever since he had left the confines of the school and decided to not spend the evening with his friend as he normally would have, his thoughts had been reoccurring around the same set of questions.

The 'kiss' had been false sure, but it still left the wondering in Sora's mind as to what it would've really felt like to kiss Riku. He wasn't sure why the question even started in his thought process, because before it probably never would have. But lately, things had been swirling into the unknown, especially with pressure of their 'relationship' coming to a full head.

"We're going to end up faking having sex at this rate."

The scene from Easy A flashed through his mind and even though he was lost in thought, he still managed a soft laugh at the remembrance of it. But just as his phone vibrated, he suddenly altered back silence and glanced over at it.

_Be ready at 5. We're going to try to get there before there's too long of a wait._

The text was straight and to the point, nothing how he would've normally texted him. Before there would have been a quirky statement worked in there somehow or a playful wink. But nothing. He was probably just overthinking things, but right now, things were nothing like how they were before this bet started. It was starting to become apparent to him that after this bet was over; their friendship might not be the same.

_That scared him._

* * *

"Oh don't you all look handsome?"

Kairi and Selphie both giggled at the appearance of the rest of their party consisting of Riku and Sora. They were dressed in nicer looking clothing that wasn't their school uniform, which the two rarely ever saw them in. It almost felt foreign to Sora seeing as he preferred to lay around the house in shorts and a random t-shirt.

Riku, however, had been used to it. His parents being lawyers were always caught up in some dinner party or another, and of course, as the son, he would be forced to attend. He had easily picked out a black suit with a soft shade of turquoise for a tie to avoid the cliché black and white suit.

"Right this way."

The waitress led them through the restaurant to a table directly near the window. They had gotten here just in time to receive a good table. She said the usual remarks that a server would be there shortly before walking off.

"Well this is certainly living up to its expectation so far." Kairi was looking around at the decorations which consisted of a dark blue and gold color setting.

The two girls had set next to one another just as the two boys had. Selphie and Kairi had started talking more about the beach and then their conversation had shifted to looking at the waiters.

Meanwhile, the other side of the table still had an odd tension. Riku appeared to be his usual self on the outside, but inwardly he was trying not to let his thoughts wonder to complicated matters.

He looked outside to give him a distraction, but as he did so he felt a bump on his leg. His focus shifted back to the very left of him, seeing Sora blushing slightly in embarrassment for accidentally hitting him.

"Sorry, I was trying to move my chair."

Riku looked at him puzzled-one because he was blushing over something so simple and two because he was apologizing. Normally he would've said some witty remark and laughed it off. It wasn't like Sora at all.

"Ah hello, welcome to Crystal Cove. My name is Charles and I will be your server for this evening. If I may, I would love to recommend some appetizers that are a delight on the pallet."

The two girls were obviously completely entranced just by him simply saying hello. As the menus were passed around, he began to go over his favorite choices for appetizers.

"And lastly, the Lover's Oyster Platter. A delicacy and one of the most popular appetizers ordered, especially enjoyed between couples which is pretty self-explanatory."

As he finished his list with a smile, he awaited for the decision amongst the group.

"Oh well I'm pretty sure you just sold us on the Lover's Oyster Platter. Bring us two please!" Selphie exclaimed rather enthusiastically as the waiter nodded in approval.

"Very well then, I will give you all time to look over the menu while I put that order in for you. Should I bring you the special sauce as well? For this couple here would you like it on your plate?"

The waiter waved between Kairi and Sora, as if he was labeling them as the first couple. Both of them blinked and then quickly shook their heads.

"Oh no, we're not a couple."

"Oh my, well pardon me."

"No, it's no worry. They're the couple and we're just here." Kairi stated without realizing the odd tension that had been occurring so far between her two guy friends.

"Ah well then, for you two, would you like the special sauce?" The waiter looked at the two boys with the same look he had the entire time. No judgment, just smiling that sincere smile he had had the entire time.

"Ah um, sure." Sora replied seeing as he felt like Riku was still rather lost in his thoughts.

The waiter shifted his attention back to the two girls for their answer before quickly departing off to his duties. It was then that more conversation started up about the waiters, more specifically theirs.

Not really being interested in it, Sora glanced over at his friend to see him now looking around at his surroundings. He would've sighed but he didn't want to give off the impression that something was wrong, so he simply sat there and stared down at the table.

Dead silence between them continued onward for a good ten minutes until their appetizer had arrived. The oysters were laid before them, the plate set directly in the center of both '_couples_'.

A note laid along with their plate, it didn't look like one had been given to the girls though. Both of them tilted their heads to read it softly to themselves.

The Lover's Oyster platter. The delicious sauce is best shared between two people who long to taste the essence of perfection in this moment and in a kiss.

"What the fuck..?" A blunt statement came from Riku in relation to the note as he picked up one of the oysters and started to eat it.

Sora shrugged, not really paying any mind to it as he also picked up his own oyster and started slurping the sauce. It was _really_ good.

It was just as he went to pick up another that his eyes barely caught sight of someone being seated just a few tables away from them. His appetite suddenly evaporated.

The curious eyes and ever present leering of Rinoa seemed to alter the entire atmosphere of the evening in mere seconds. His blue eyes looked for aqua ones and they were met instantly. They held a knowing gaze, no words being spoken.

"Excuse me; I'm going to go to the bathroom." Sora quickly got up and headed towards the entrance where the bathrooms were located. Little did he know that he was being followed after.

The bathroom was thankfully empty. The brown-haired boy wandered in and headed directly to the wall to lay his head against it. He wasn't sure why he even left the table, probably just the mere surprise at that awful presence of a person.

"You can't keep letting her get to you like this."

He quickly stood upright and turned to see Riku standing there, the door having been locked directly behind his entrance.

"Easy for you to say. Or did you already forget how easily she got to _you_ just the other day."

Riku tried not to let the retort affect him too much, he knew it was just being said from him being upset at the intrusion of the school bitch.

"Look, you can either leave right now or you can come back out there with me and we can put on the best show ever."

The idea was easy enough to say, it was just actually doing it that was the problem. He wanted to be rid of the nuisance once and for all, and he knew if they did enough it would push her far enough to way to end the problem. Their relationship was ending in mere days, and he was starting to question whether it was worth all this trouble.

But as he looked over at Riku, that song entered his mind once again, and he remembered how even though he seemed fine, he was always inwardly struggling. It was just a bet, but even still, it would make him happy. That's all he ever wanted for him.

"…What do we do?"

* * *

Returning from the restroom, the girls had already almost finished their appetizer. The two boys were walking side by side, and as soon as the table came into sight, Riku moved ahead. His hands glided onto the chair that had been Sora's and he pulled it out for him in a cute gesture.

It was quite clear that Rinoa had her full attention on their table, seeing as, a low scoff was hear from her as she watched him help Sora take his seat.

Smirking, Riku sat down beside of him before looking at the other boy. The two had discussed their idea in full detail just mere minutes before, and doing it so soon was almost like an adrenaline rush.

Sora had picked up one of the oysters and he did as he had been instructed. "Hey Riku.." He lifted it up to the other boy's lips, slowly letting the liquid slide into his mouth before he watched as Riku scooped the bit of oyster out with his tongue.

It was hard not to stare as he felt those aqua eyes lingering on him the entire time. It got even worse whenever Riku had proceeded with his turn of taking an oyster and moving it towards the other boy's mouth.

He easily swallowed the delicious sauce before mimicking his prior actions by scooping the oyster with his tongue. It was as he thought they were done that he saw Riku move to run his thumb over the side of his lips slowly. The touch of his thumb so close to his lips caused a soft blush to appear on his cheeks from mere surprise at the action.

He hadn't even noticed how a small droplet had managed to fall past his lips. But now he couldn't do anything but stare at the young man sitting in front of him. Even the two girls had stopped talking and were completely in awe at their spectacle.

The waiter appeared to take their orders for the main course and this let the atmosphere switch back to normal for at least the girls. Sora shook his head and finally let his eyes look elsewhere as Riku didn't even have to look up to feel the glare being cast at them from a few tables away.

The remaining hour or so had consisted of Riku letting his arm work its way to rest on Sora's chair. It gave the visibility of them being close but they really weren't. Either way, the two still felt a bit uneasy, but they were both playing their parts well.

"That had to be the best lobster I've ever eaten." The table was being cleared away of their dishes as the two girls were enthusiastically talking about any random thing that came to mind.

Sora never thought he would be so happy to see a check to be paid for in his entire life. Everyone started pulling out their methods of payment as Riku shook his head and graciously offered to pay the bill himself. The girls giggled and thanked him while Sora smiled lightly and did the same. They were out of there in mere minutes, probably because the restaurant was getting busier and they needed to clear out tables as quickly as possible.

"Ah well that was fun! But it's getting dark and I want to get some of this homework done before tomorrow." Kairi had hooked her arm with Selphie's just as they said goodnight to the boys and headed to their car.

The boys watched making sure they were able to get to their car and out of the parking lot safely before they stood there in complete silence. The smell of the ocean was easily detected seeing as the wind was picking up a little bit. Sora felt the sudden urge to leave the premises entirely so he started walking to Riku's car.

He could hear the footsteps following after him. The black Porsche came into view and Riku unlocked the doors in order to let them both get into the car. Sure enough, as soon as they were seated in the vehicle, a familiar face exited the restaurant. Riku shook his head, starting the car and pulling out of the parking lot before the annoyance could bother them anymore that night.

The ride home was just as quiet as the first half of dinner had been.

"Sora…are we just never going to speak again?"

There was a minute or so of quiet before the other boy finally decided to reply. "I don't really know what to say Riku."

"Is this still about yesterday or the Rinoa thing or something else?"

"It's a lot of things." Sora wasn't really sure how to word it all seeing as he had been thinking on quite a combination of those things.

"Well can you at least try to describe it to me?"

Riku steered the car around a corner to show a neighborhood already coming into view. It would only be a few more minutes until Sora's house would be appearing.

"I don't know how we're going to be after all of this is over."

The reply made the silver haired boy's face contort in slight confusion. "What do you mean? We're still going to be friends, you know that Sora."

"I know, but…am I the only one feeling different things lately?"

"Different things like what?"

"I don't know, I can't describe it. I just know whenever I see Rinoa, it makes me feel-I just get so mad."

Nothing was said as the car slowly moved down a street and a few moments later pulled up to park in a driveway. The lights weren't on in the house showing that Sora's mom had yet to return home.

"Are you mad because she's an annoying bitch or because of what she tried to do to us?"

"Us? There is no us here Riku. There is a fake relationship. And to answer your question, yes she's an annoying bitch but I really just get mad because she's just a reminder how we're living a lie. I mean, you say we're going to be friends again after this, but I just keep feeling like things are going to be weird."

Riku sighed softly. He understood what he meant. It would be weird because they were starting to act way too close to just be best friends. But it was only for a short period of time, they weren't really living a lie.

"Sora, there's just a few more days. After all this, I'll buy you whatever games you want to try to make up for the shitfest that has been these past few weeks. But I can promise you, things won't be weird. We were separated for two years and we've reverted back to like nothing happened before, it'll be just like that."

Blue eyes looked down at his lap at the realization of what he was saying. That was indeed true. They had gone through so much more, so many terrible things and they came back here as good of friends as before, if not better.

"I guess you're right."

"You never were one to think so much Sora, I don't think you should start now." Riku smiled a genuine smile while moving to ruffle the other boy's spikes.

Sora also smiled and laughed lightly at the gesture. He shook his head and looked back up at his friend who had already been staring at him the entire time. The hand that had ruffled his hair had remained near him, moving onto his shoulder. It was almost like, he didn't want to break the contact yet.

"Riku I.."

It was just as Sora went to say something else that had been on his mind that his right hand shot up to cover his mouth. He quickly moved, unlocked the door, and ran to the bushes.

Riku cringed and slapped his forehead while avoiding the scene in front of him. "This'll be a fun night."


	11. 10: Recovery

_Gaining and Losing_

**Chapter 10:** Recovery

* * *

The entirety of Saturday night to most of Sunday had been spent in complete hell for the brown-haired young man who had formerly saved the universe. The toilet had become his best friend in the easiest terms possible. It seemed the high class restaurant had been accounting for taste, but it hadn't set so well with three of the four who had visited its confines not even a day beforehand.

Riku had been the sole survivor, seeing as; he was never a huge fan of lobster. He had decided to stick with a steak and salad and that had been his saving grace. And seeing as Sora's mother had been detained out of the house most of the weekend to catch up on paperwork at the office, he had been landed with the lucky role of helping the boy survive the horrid 24 hours.

"Ugh…I never want to see a lobster again."

"Not even a live one?"

"No, I just…no."

Sora sighed, his body worn out from both the running to the bathroom and inability to sleep at all the night before. He settled down on the couch near his friend, feeling he was almost in the clear to start his full recovery.

"Well we should do something to keep your mind off things, since I think you've pretty much gotten everything possible out of your system." The older boy glanced over his friend a few times before moving to grab the gaming controllers off the floor.

"The only thing I can assume will come up next is my liver or some other unimportant organ of mine." Stated sarcastically, the boy gladly took the controller to begin his distraction from hell.

"Well, if you can sit here for an hour at least, then I can let you try some water to see if you can keep it down. Then we'll try for step two which is some broth."

Sora waved his free hand as if to dismiss what his friend had said. The last thing he wanted to hear about was food or any type of liquids that would risk him getting sick again-even though he knew his body probably desperately needed any type of nutrients.

The tv fizzled on just as the opening sequence for Mario Kart started up. Luigi's voice radiated through the speakers in the living room as they selected their players and driving course.

It was only a few courses later, which Sora had fallen back into his usual competitive state. He had been able to jump up and down on the couch whenever he managed to just barely beat Riku with a lucky draw of a star from one of the mystery icons.

The courses switched to the last one-Rainbow Road.

Both boys instantly got into attack mode, holding their controllers with complete accuracy while steering their characters with total prowess. Frustrated grunts and sighs were heard as the long race started and even though it seemed like forever to a viewer, it was way too fast for the players.

It had been because of the shitty CPUs (as Sora would've put it) that his racer, Yoshi, had lost in the last round. Riku grinned charismatically as he watched his racer, Wario, cross the finish line first. With a huff, Sora threw the controller on the ground and proceeded with his pouting session that he always did whenever he lost.

His friend tried not to smile too much as always. He let the controller fall on the floor as well, leaving the tv on as the racers still zoomed around the track seeing as neither had pressed a button to proceed to the main screen.

"Awww c'mon, it was just one time. We can do two out of three if it'll make you feel better."

Riku had to choke back a laugh at the double-implication that had come along with what he just said. It was mean, but it was ironic in the situation too which made it funny.

"Of course you would be amused by this." Another huff came from the boy as he looked away at anything else, more specifically the wall.

"It's hard not to be. But look at the bright side, it's almost been an hour and you've been on this couch the entire time."

At this realization, Sora instantly jumped back onto the couch again. He started grinning that goofy grin of his while jumping up and down.

"Give me waaaater!"

With a roll of his eyes, Riku grabbed the boy's hand to drag him back down to earth before turning and dragging him into the kitchen. He knew the kitchen well, every knook and cranny. The boys had been childhood friends so this wasn't surprising, he was pretty much just like family.

The sound of the stool screeching a bit as Sora slid into it was heard just as the fridge door was opened and closed. Riku poured a bit of water into a glass before setting it in front of the hopeful blue eyes.

"Don't force too much. Just take a bit and see if you can hold it down for a good ten minutes."

* * *

It had felt like the longest weekend for Sora, but in the end he felt it had been a blessing in disguise. The unfortunate turn of events from the restaurant Saturday evening had provided a great distraction from the lie that they had been proceeding with on a daily basis. Being able to stay in the confines of his home away from prying eyes made him feel more at ease with Riku again, aside from the whole being sick thing.

They had just been Sora and Riku. Just like they were before this whole _boyfriend _business started. But now it was Monday, a new week with a new series of events that had yet to unfold. If everything was still in tune, there was only 3 more days of this nonsense. On Wednesday, they could all meet up and show that nothing had changed between himself and his best friend.

_Or had they?_

As much as he was saying no, there was a small amount of something prickling in the back of his subconscious. It might not have had enough push and shove to show itself yet, but there was definitely an uneasy feeling about their friendship now.

Sora focused more on the idea that it was just unnerving to imagine what else might happen before the last three days of their bet was over with. The thoughts of what it would be like if another possible kissing scenario occurred began to creep back into his thought process. Then that overwhelming curiosity of what it would be like to kiss his silver-haired friend who was now walking across the street to walk with him to school.

"It's always nice to see you with that healthy glow."

With a punch in his arm, Sora tried not to start pouting much like he had the other night. The one thing he hated above all was getting sick like he had, but luckily he had had the expertise of Nurse Riku by his side the entire time.

"Oh shut up. I don't want to hear about that again for a good few months."

As they approached the school yard, it was almost like the entire atmosphere changed in a split second. Pretty much everyone standing or sitting within a mile radius had stopped and was glancing over at the two oblivious young men crossing the grounds.

"Um…is it just me or did we become very popular all of the sudden?"

With a raised eyebrow, Riku kept his bookbag steady on his shoulder while picking up a few stray words amidst the whispering that was taking place around him.

"Something along the lines of, no one heard or saw either of us all weekend."

"Do people really have nothing better to do but stalk us?"

Sora was about to get into a huffy state just as the troublesome foursome greeted them at the top of the stairs near the entrance of the school.

"Well, well boys, it seems you two had an eventful weekend."

"What's it to you?" Riku had snorted lowly while watching Rinoa's face twist into a smirk.

"Oh nothing. It's just.." She took a few steps forward, moving closer to the older boy as she peered up at him through her mascaraed lashes. "You can try to fool everyone else here, but you'll never fool me. Your little oyster show was cute at best, but I know what team you really play for."

"Once again, how does this concern you?" With an uncaring look on his features, Riku had to question her again as she glanced back her girlfriends.

"Oh in no way except, I _always_ get what I want. And if I can't have you, I'll just make your life miserable until I can."

Sora had stood silent the entire time all of this was playing out. He glanced between both parties, seeing the look of utter disgust show up on his friend's face at the mentioning of her wanting him and her going so far as to make his life miserable until he coincided with her demands.

Feeling that feeling of anger and god knows what else from the other day, Sora's hands fisted slightly as he did something that he normally would've never done-he stood up for himself.

"Listen here bitch-"

Complete silence filled the hallways as lockers swayed in mid-swing, a few books fell from the hasty commotion, and all eyes had shifted to the small circle near the entrance.

"_**Excuse me**_?"

"I said _listen here **bitch**_. Or has your inability to be humane blocked all of your basic human functions, one being that of _listening_?"

Rinoa was stuck in a heated glare as the brown-haired boy didn't even give her a chance to reply as he took a step towards her which in turn, made her step back a bit _away from Riku_.

"Actually, no one cares about that because quite frankly what we all really want to focus on is just why you are so persistent on mine and Riku's relationship."

There was an obvious pent up tension which was now being released in this moment. Riku could only stand there, almost completely dumbfounded at how Sora was pretty much overruling the school bitch.

"We all know that you're the school bitch, slut, all the of above. What everyone doesn't know, is that ever since Leon _dumped_ your sorry ass, you've been doing nothing but cock sucking, spreading rumors, and fucking up every little good thing that someone else might have going. All because you're a selfish little bitch who can't accept the fact that you're not little miss perfect."

Some of the students lingering around either gasped or looked completely shock at how far he was going in telling her off. Sora had now managed to step even closer to the brunette as she stood close to her friends who were doing anything far from showing any kind of support.

"So, before you go into ultra bitch mode and start attempting to ruin my best friend's life, let me give you a little reminder-Riku is **mine**. And in case you still can't do that basic human function which is that of _hearing_, I will both show and spell it out for you."

With the quickest of movements, Sora had turned around and let his hands grab at the taller boy's tie. It was one of those, _live in the moment_ type of experiences that are so rare in life. His hands had used all the strength he had to tug the older boy down into a rough and rather unplanned kiss.

Aqua eyes had gone wide at first from the completely unexpected happenings of the moment. It had been mind-blowing to see his best friend telling off the bitch, but now he had been pulled into a kiss with him-one that he couldn't help but find himself kissing back in.

_Not to mention, it had been a shocking turn of events._

As Rinoa stood there with nothing but daggers being thrown in the kissing couple's direction, giggles and low whispering were heard amongst the students who had all been caught in the ongoing commotion.

The kiss had been short in terms of viewing, but to both of the boys it had felt like so much longer. Sora withdrew, letting go of the tie before finishing up his tirade on the girl nearby.

"M.i.n.e. **Mine**." With flushed cheeks but a determined glint in his eyes, Sora stared right at the girl as if to dare her to say something else.

But nothing was said. Rinoa scoffed lightly before flipping her hair and turning to walk the other way through the hallway. Students were whispering even louder now and pointing at both the girls who were walking away and the two boys who stood still near the entrance.

Riku said nothing, but quickly grabbed his friend's hand to drag him in a completely different direction down a completely different hallway away from anyone and anything.

Because the only question being said in his mind was-_what the hell just happened?_


	12. 11: Back Up

___* Author's Note: Hey, I just wanted to let you all know that my updates might be a bit scattered for a while. I've taken up a second job, so my free time has become non-existent. Just try to be patient with me, I've got a huge load of fanfics I'm trying to juggle at once._

* * *

_Gaining and Losing_

**Chapter 11**: Back Up

* * *

Nothing but questions filled both boys' minds as one was being dragged down the hallway by the other. Whispers and loud chatter were heard among the students as they continued further through the school to a more deserted corridor.

As they finally reached an area near one of the fire exits and the janitor's closet, it looked completely empty. This had been the area no one lingered around in since nothing of interest was around and it tended to smell oddly because of the janitor's closet.

Sora's shoes made a slight scuff and noise along the floor as he was dragged to a stop by the silver-haired boy. For a few moments neither said a word. Riku turned slightly in order to look face to face at his friend.

"Did you really do what I think you just did?"

It took a moment for Sora to recall the eventful turn of events that had literally just happened a minute or so before. Yes he had told off the school bitch, slut, whore, ect. Yes he had kissed Riku. Yes he had **no** fucking idea what was going to happen now.

"I'm pretty sure I did."

It wasn't as if Riku had never slightly expected such a thing occurring during their two weeks of fun. Sure he had thought about the notion that if they ever had to _really_ kiss it would be quick and simple. That had been just that, but still there was a weird feeling about it. He decided not to think too much on it though. Overthinking was never a good path to take.

"Well, I think after that performance, we'll definitely be in the clear for the last few days."

It was hard to ignore the bit of pain that struck Sora. That painful moment originated from an unknown location, and he quickly pushed it aside with a nod.

The conversation was left unfinished as the home room bell rang and both boys looked at each other for a minute before darting back down the hallway towards their homeroom.

* * *

Detention was always a fun thing to attend. Both boys were lounged out in their desks as they had been put in some random classroom with the 'punishment' of writing lines.

"This is so cliché." Riku mumbled lowly as the teacher who was hardly keeping watch over the students was currently caught up in reading a manga.

The brown-haired boy sitting near him had long since given up writing the lines and was just staring up at the ceiling. He acknowledged what his friend had said just as he heard some noise near the door. Two girls were peeking in through the window, pointing and giggling at the two of them.

"I think we have fangirls." With a slight wave and a sarcastic smile, Sora saw the girls giggle even more before moving away from the window.

"Well what do you expect after your melodrama this morning?"

"Hey, you should be grateful. She was never going to back off otherwise."

"Believe me, I know."

Riku seemed to have his life devoted to being grateful to his best friend. Occurrences like this one as well as numerous in the past had always given him more than enough reasons to be eternally appreciative of him being in his life.

The last bell of the day finally made its shrill throughout the school. With a quick glance at the students, the teacher stood up and didn't even bother gathering the papers. He was out the door quicker than any of the students.

"That was definitely a lol moment." Sora muttered just as the two picked up their bags before tossing their sad excuse for a punishment into the trash can.

The walk out of the school and back towards the neighborhood area was a bit quieter than usual. Sure, the two had been talking throughout the day, but as soon as they left school it was like they could let their masks fall off.

This was what was starting to worry Sora. These moments, even if they seemed minor and short-lived, they could make all the difference later on. They had been talking all day during school, but now they weren't even saying a word to one another. What if, after all this was over, they just started drifting apart from one another?

This bet was starting to become like something more of a loss than a gain.

With an audible sigh, the young boy bit the inside of his cheek while trying not to think so pessimistically. Riku raised an eyebrow, sensing something was wrong again.

"What's up now?"

That kind of irked him even more. He said that like lately all he had ever done is have a problem with something. Which, that was slightly true, but it wasn't like he was nitpicking random stuff.

"You already know."

"I told you things aren't going to change."

"Why does it feel like they already have?"

This question left Riku completely speechless. Thinking back on the day, the morning had been shocking but they still had acted fine throughout the rest of the day. And then he realized how he had thought of their interactions as _acting_.

"I'm just gonna head home. I'll call you if I wanna hang out later."

Sora turned down his street while not even waiting for a response from his friend. He hated having thoughts fill his head so much. His whole life he had always gone about just living carefree, not letting _possibilities_ worry him. But it wasn't that easy with Riku. He couldn't just chop it up to something silly and continuously overlook it.

It was never easy watching his friend walk away from him. Riku had seen a lot of that over the past 2 years of his life. The one time that always stuck out to him and was probably the most painful was whenever he had decided to stay with King Mickey. The door of Kingdom Hearts was closed, entrapping him in the darkness so that he allowed his friend to escape.

It had been on the most selfless things he had ever done. He consumed himself in darkness to allow his friend a chance at saving the universe. And now, here he was, finally able to have his normal life back and he had been taking it for granted by acting so selfishly.

This bet seemed innocent at first, but now it felt like it was tearing their friendship apart. It wasn't easy pretending anymore. For some reason, it was becoming harder to do anything _simple_ with the blue-eyed boy who had now disappeared from his sight.

He wasn't sure what to do. So he just sat down on the curbside, letting his thoughts consume the hours of daylight that remained.

* * *

"Sweetheart I ordered some pizza. I'm going out with Lulu now. I don't know what time I'll be back. Don't stay up too late!" The front door closed just as Sora shuffled into the kitchen to look at the fresh pizza that had been delivered mere minutes before.

He had been upstairs playing his old save file of Dead Space 2; it was the only game that was gruesome enough to keep his thinking from straying to his friend.

With a grunt, he leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. For some reason, he felt sort of bad for just walking off earlier. And so being the good friend that he was, Sora pulled out his cell phone and texted his friend.

_Hey, mom got pizza. Wanna come over?_

He set the phone on the counter while moving to the fridge to decide on what to drink. There was juice, milk, and soda. His hand instinctively reached for a can of Pepsi just as his phone vibrated.

The response was quite quick, and as he set his can down on the counter, he let his free hand open the text.

_Sure. I'm outside._

A faint knock was heard on the door just a few seconds later and it caused Sora to jump. Moving to the door, he looked through the side window to see his friend indeed standing out on the porch. With a swift movement, he opened the door to allow his friend inside before closing and locking it.

"Geez Riku, are you stalking me?"

He rolled his eyes, not surprised by the question that had just been posed to him.

"No I'm not. I just decided to sit and think for a while. I was about to head home when you texted me."

"Oh." Sora replied in the simplest of manners while moving back around the counter to where the pizza was.

The two took a few minutes to pull out some plates, get their slices of pizza, and get their drinks prepared before they finally settled down on the couch in the living room. It was a set up much similar to that of the previous weekend.

"So I've been thinking."

They had grabbed their controllers to initiate their daily routine of gaming, and Riku had started speaking as they picked their characters.

"Yeah?"

"I think I've been selfish lately."

This was a surprising thing to hear from the other boy. Sora had to take a moment to look over at him. "Why do you say that?"

"Well I dragged you into this bet without thinking about your side of it. I don't know I guess ever since everything that happened before, you know I really cherish our friendship. The last thing I want to do is fuck it up somehow."

Everything that happened before relating back to the previous two years of hardship they had endured. The most recent year having been the tiresome task of finding his friend in order to bring him home.

"I wouldn't call you selfish Riku. I think you just need to stop worrying about what people think of you."

The response was a bit shocking to Riku, he never expected for his childhood friend to say something so blunt to him.

"You worry too much about how people see you. You want to represent yourself as being the winner and never backing down from a challenge. If you just go on about your life without worrying about people's judgments, then you've _already_ won."

Those aqua eyes looked over the tv, trying not to look at his friend while also trying not to remember the second half of what Leon had said at the beginning of all this.

"_Along with being his boyfriend, I bet that at the end of the two weeks you will have fallen in love with him."_

A method of torture so described by the one who had placed the bet. It was certainly becoming just that. Everything about their friendship was starting to be called into question. Sora said he wasn't selfish, that he had to stop worrying about what others thought of him. While this was true, he could help but feel like that wasn't addressing the entire issue.

"I don't think it's just that Sora."

The younger boy had taken a bite out of his pizza and had to swallow it first before replying in slight confusion. "What? But I mean what else is there?"

"We haven't actually thought about what if something did happen during this bet. I mean-happen between _us_."


	13. 12: Rationalize

_Gaining and Losing_

**Chapter 12**: Rationalize

* * *

_What territory did they just wander into now?_

Sora had stopped in the middle of chewing a huge piece of his pizza just as the question Riku had voiced to him started taking its effect. He wasn't sure if he should swallow his food first and then process the question or vice versa.

So he just started choking instead.

This wasn't new for Riku, so he started slapping his friend's back while handing him his can of soda that was on the table nearby. It only took a minute or so for his friend to calm himself again.

But then the question started floating through his mind.

"Well..I don't know, I mean, do you think something has happened?"

Riku raised an eyebrow while leaning back against one of the comfy pillows on the couch. He was staring at the tv screen as the video game music incessantly replayed itself.

"I don't know. I wouldn't lie to you since you're my best friend though Sora, so I'm going to say that things don't entirely feel the same as before."

The brown-haired boy felt his appetite slipping away and so he set his plate down on the floor. His gaze moved to his friend next to him, as the gaze was not reciprocated in return. In these instances, he knew the other was in deep thought; otherwise he would've looked to him with a gentle gaze and a smile.

"Well I already told you that I felt like things might be different after this was all over. But maybe it'll just be a semi-awkward phase until things get back to normal." Sora shrugged after saying this. He had already been worrying so much for the past few days. He didn't think his little mind could take anymore over-analyzing. It just didn't suit him.

"Yeah maybe." That was all the older boy said and silence filled the atmosphere for a good five minutes. Sora was unsure of what to do or say, so he just sat there and looked over at the floor or wall or anything else.

It wasn't like he had never contemplated any of this before. During much of the time in the realm of darkness, taking the form of Ansem and going through with Diz's elaborate plans always gave him more than enough time to think on everything. The past, present, and possible future. His motivation had always been to save his friends, and to help his best friend who was trying to save all the worlds.

But it was that one moment where they finally were reunited after a year's time...it always made him wonder about that strange feeling. It had been a thought he buried deep within his mind because he knew that he would never be able to come up with the answer on his own. He would've had to turn to his best friend and ask something that he was sure was not the case.

Because truthfully, he never found himself deserving of anything, not even the friendship he had with the person sitting beside him at that very moment.

"Well you know I can't stand sitting and not doing anything for long. Can we play the game now?"

Sora almost looked helpless in that instant and Riku pushed his thoughts aside, deciding to let them go until later on.

"Yeah, you're gonna lose though."

It was never like Riku to lose concentration as much as he had during their gaming times. Sora started to think back on the events that evening. It was not in his nature to be thinking as much as he had been lately, and it was really starting to annoy him.

Why couldn't he shake the question that his friend asked him earlier? Sure he had been more worried about their friendship being messed up from this stupid bet, but it wasn't like he ever really thought about the bet becoming a _reality_.

_At least not consciously anyway._

Thinking always lead to thinking on everything-including the past. For two years he had struggled to save everyone and everything. But in the end all he really wanted was to find his best friends.

It had been the hardest thing to go against his best friend in battle. Then to only lose him in the end was like tearing a part of his soul away. And even after he finally rescued his first friend, he hadn't felt that sense of completion until shortly thereafter.

The hug with Kairi was nice. It was an embrace he probably would've cared more for a year before that, when he was younger and more infatuated with her. But a lot can change in a year. And in that time, he had become so incessant on regaining the one thing that actually made his days better. It brought out a side of him that no one else could ever come close to doing.

The moment he ran up those stairs and was confronted with the appearance of Ansem, it made him lose perspective. The second his hand was placed upon that man's hand, he saw what was really there. _And it made him cry._

The truth that appeared before amidst a shadow made everything worth it. The blood spilled, tears shed, and constant battles against thousands-it had all been worth it. The second he was able to look into those aqua eyes again, and hear that comforting voice that had encouraged him so much, it brought such an overwhelming feeling to every part of him.

He held that hand, falling to his knees, crying from sheer disbelief and amazement that he was finally able to grasp onto the person that he had been agonizingly waiting for the chance to see once more. It was an emotion too great to label with words. But he felt it in his chest, and he knew it was revealing itself with every tear that he shed in that moment.

The feeling had been so new, so surreal, and it terrified him later on.

All he could do was tuck it away. There had been not time to decipher the meaning of it amidst the final battle. And after they finally returned home, the normalcy that was their lives before darkness crept in started to take over their mindsets. That feeling from that day was never thought of again.

_Not until now._

The next day of school had been a blur. The object of his thoughts didn't show up. Not a single message had been received on his phone either. He felt unsure if he should send one himself so he didn't.

"It's really weird for Riku to not show up like this." Kairi stood in the hallway with the brown-haired man as he was putting books back into his locker. The day was nearly over, and none of them had heard a word from their friend.

"He could just be really sick or something." Sora was trying to come up with any excuses in his mind that would explain the strange absence, but deep down he knew it was relation to their conversation from the night before.

"Yeah maybe. Well, I've got to head out to a study session. I'll see you tomorrow?"

As soon as she wandered off, he sighed heavily and slammed his locker shut. Shifting his back pack onto his shoulder in his usual manner, Sora was trying to decide what he should do with the rest of his day. There was a test tomorrow in his Biology class, but he never studied so that was ruled out.

Things had been easier whenever his best friend was around. He hated walking alone across the school grounds. He hated not knowing what to do without him being by his side even more.

With a frustrated sigh, he could think of nothing to do but play a game alone. But the thought of playing a one-player game without the background noise that was Riku made him get put off the idea instantly.

Just as he was about to do his usual turn down onto the main street to his house, his phone vibrated.

_Meet me at the beach._

The beach. That wasn't just any beach on Destiny Island. It was the beach that they had known since they were children. He instantly broke into a run. The only time either of them ever went to the beach was for gatherings, boredom, or to get away from the world.

He already assumed the last option was the correct one.

Riku stood on the pier. It was a strange sense of reminiscence prickling all over his body as he stood in the very spot that started it all. The altering of their destinies. And now the never-ending questions and uncertainty on what was the here and now.

He hadn't left since early dawn. The watching of the sun rising in the sky and permeating through the atmosphere for the entirety of the day made him look back on every event during the past two years. And now as the sun was starting its slow descent to disappear from the world, he still had unanswered questions.

The sound of a boat approaching the dock nearby was hardly noticed as his senses were too caught up in his thoughts. And as Sora jumped onto the dock and ran over to him, he slowly turned, much as he had two years before.

"Riku, what are you doing here?"

"I figured that would've been obvious. You know me better than anyone."

It was true that Sora had already known the answer.

"What have you been thinking about then?"

Aqua-eyes let their gaze look over at the water as he began to speak.

"Everything. I've been trying to piece everything together from the beginning of that time to now."

The other boy already knew the hidden meaning behind _that time_.

"And have you..?"

Riku simply shook his head while starting to walk away from that very spot, moving past Sora. He couldn't stand standing there anymore. The other boy looked confused but instantly started to follow after him off the dock and onto the outlook near the tree they used to sit at.

"The one thing I'm stuck on is something that I can't figure out on my own."

He felt afraid. It wasn't a feeling he normally felt, and certainly not around his best friend. But he was scared to voice the question that had instantly popped into his mind whenever he heard what his friend said.

But he said it anyway.

"It's about when we saw each other again a year ago, isn't it?"

Riku stopped near the tree. That memory had been plaguing his mind far too much ever since it happened.

"I know it is. That's all I thought about last night." Sora pressed on, not really sure why the words were flowing from him so easily, but he couldn't stop them now.

"I hadn't seen your face for a whole year Riku. I hadn't heard your voice or seen your smile. And when I finally saw you again, it was like everything was okay again. I was finally okay again."

The sincerity that was in his voice was far too powerful, and the tears that were threatening to fall from his blue eyes lingered as he continued to speak his deepest thoughts.

"But there was one thing I didn't do that I should've. And it's the one thing I still want to do now."

The older boy hadn't said a word thus far. There was nothing he could say, especially when his friend was already saying it all for him. And as he turned around to face him again, he felt arms embrace him and a head gently lying against his chest.

"I never hugged you back then. I hugged Kairi, but not you."

That moment lay to rest every concern and question and uncertainty that he ever had. Riku let his arms move around the small frame that was leaning into him, and he held him like it was the only thing he ever cherished in his entire life.

_Because he really was._

And as Sora lifted his head to look up at his best friend, he saw this aqua eyes finally looking back at him with that comforting gaze.

"It was all for you."

Those blue eyes colored like the deepest part of the ocean widened slightly at those words. He could feel the hands that had been resting on his back move to grasp at his arms. And in mere seconds he had been pushed back against the lowest portion of their favorite tree.

"Riku.."

"It was all for you, because I've realized that I love you Sora."

His heart beat jumped from normal to overdrive in less than a millisecond, and he knew that feeling that he had tucked away was seeping into his mind.

_You love him too. You know you do._

"Now I'm going to give you what I should've given you back then."

And in that instant everything that had been known as reality became a dream. The overruling sense of perfection just from the touch of his lips on his own and the feeling of his warmth pressing against his body as if to rejoin themselves as one. They both realized in that very moment that they completed one another. There was no happiness without the other. And the passion that emanated from this kiss proved that a hundred times over.


	14. 13: All Falls Down

_Gaining and Losing_

**Chapter 13**: All Falls Down

* * *

It had been a long night full of incessant kissing, being wrapped in one another's arms, and laying under the stars. Staying on the island during the night had been a rare thing they used to do when they were little. Waiting until their parents had gone to sleep; they would sneak out, head to the docks, and row out to the secluded island during nights that they were restless.

That night though, it had been one of the more prominent nights that they'd ever had together on that island.

"Why does the sun have to rise? This is when I wish I was a vampire or something." Sora mumbled as he buried his head against the chest that he had been resting against most of the night. Inhaling that scent, it gave him such a comfort and relaxation that he never wanted to move away.

"Please don't start on a Twilight rampage. I don't think I would be able to hold back from murdering you." The other replied in a tone of nothing but sarcasm as he then received a pout from the one lying on him. Smiling, he leaned his head into quickly kiss those lips. It was so hard not to stop kissing him over and over again.

"Uuuugh, I don't want to go to school."

Riku sighed, looking up to see the sky already shifting from that light shade of midnight blue to an orange tint. It was drawing close to dawn, and they would have to head home to get dressed for school.

The sudden realization that this was the day he'd have to meet up with Leon also hit him out of nowhere.

"Well, look at it this way, it's hump day."

The spiky-haired teen sat straight up, staring down at those aqua eyes with a questioning gaze.

"Are you hitting on me?"

Facepalming a bit, Riku then shifted to sit up half-way as he tried not to laugh.

"It's a figure of speech. Hump day means that it's half-way through a week."

"Ooooooh."

A cheesy smile played on Sora's facial features just as he felt his stomach growl.

"We better get you home to tame the beast."

Sora looked at his friend again with that same questioning look. "…Are you hitting on me again?"

More facepalms and explanations ensued after that.

It felt like the night had gone by far too quick. They reached the mainland, going their separate ways at the crossroad in the neighborhood as they halted to share a long kiss. Sora was still so new at the whole idea, and a blush was still staining his cheeks as he put his key in the front door and practically stumbled into his house.

No one appeared to be home. A note on the fridge had said that he was alone until Sunday since his mother had gotten called away on business at the last minute. Sighing heavily, that meant he'd have to either learn how to cook (which wasn't going to happen) or eat something that you'd normally never eat for breakfast.

Grabbing a pint of ice cream, he began to devour it before he noticed that it was already nearing 7am. With a spoon in his mouth, the teen dashed upstairs to try and multi-task between a shower and finding a clean, school uniform.

The shower was quick, his spikes were already starting to stick back up as he was buttoning up his shirt in the mirror. Staring at his reflection, he could already see the change in his eyes. The way his body language was just so fluid and natural. He felt content with everything.

It had all been a massive roller coaster ride from the start. Leon had been right, there had been something there between them. They just never saw it given all the grueling circumstances of the world being on the verge of mass destruction.

Smiling at himself in the mirror after he had brushed his teeth, he went to grab his school bag and head back downstairs.

They'd just have to get through school and then the meet up with Leon that afternoon and it would all be over.

The moment Riku had exited the shower, he heard his phone vibrate.

Thinking it was from the one he had just left, he wondered over to it with a smile on his face. Picking up the phone and seeing the name on the screen made him frown instantly.

Text Received From: Leon

"I'll see you after school today, 4PM. Don't be late, and don't forget to bring your boyfriend."

Clutching the phone out of an ensuing anger, Riku was only just now realizing how he was about to lose their bet.

Given all the chaos that had been going on between himself, his best friend, school, and life in general, he had forgotten how his pride was at stake in the process. That was one habit of his that he just couldn't break, his incessant need to always be first.

He hated being proven wrong. The fact that Leon was so smug about it too pissed him off even more.

Angrily starting to type out a reply, he had too many thoughts running in his mind.

He had already been humiliated enough during this little game, even though in the end it was true. Pressing the send button, he wasn't sure if he could find a balance between his pride and the discovery of love for his best friend.

"I'll be there. Don't worry."

The most popular couple in school had taken to openly holding hands as they drifted through the hallway together. Students were gawking, giggling, and surprised at their display. Even kisses were being exchanged as they stood by the lockers or left one another to go to a different class.

Needless to say, Rinoa was silent for the entire day. She had been downgraded a bit since the popular couple had pretty much stomped out her social status.

"Really making this last day worth it aren't you?" Kairi muttered rather cutely as she bumped shoulders with the brown-haired young man.

"Oh c'mon, you know it's not like that."

"Wait-what?" The girl instantly stopped, grabbing onto his arm to draw him a bit closer so she could lower her tone to a whisper. "Are you saying something is seriously going on now?"

"I ah-no?"

Her eyes went wide and he blushed and wasn't sure what else to say. Kairi immediately went into girl-mode, squealing and almost tackling him against the row of lockers as she hugged him.

"I can't believe iiiit! This is so amazingly perfect and-"

"Shhhhh! I don't want to make a scene out of this!"

She stopped and withdrew slightly while regaining her composure some. "I think you've already crossed that line after what happened yesterday."

"Yeah well…anyways, I have to go with him to meet up with Leon soon."

"Oh yeah, I bet Riku isn't gonna be too happy about losing. But at least he's got you now." The girl winked at him while giggling she kept thinking of cute they were together.

"Let's hope so." Sora had inwardly been a bit nervous about how that afternoon was going to play out. They'd gotten the most out of the bet itself, but he kept remembering how his friend reacted whenever the bet first started.

After what happened last night, he could only hope that the words they had said and the first, second, and many more kisses exchanged would've been enough to out rule his pride. But in his gut, Sora knew better.

"Ready to go?"

Sora walked outside, seeing the silver-haired young man leaning against the wall as he smiled at him.

"Yeah, it's going to be at your house again right?"

"According to _him_." Riku had a slight bit of malice dripping from the word 'him'.

The walk had been casual, their hands brushing against one another's every now and then. It was as they turned down the street to Riku's house that Sora notice the other move his hand away and reach for his keys. It was a good cover-up, but Sora knew the real reason for the sudden movement.

That gut feeling got worse as they drew closer to the house. A familiar stack of brown hair and then blond hair appeared.

Leon and Cloud stood outside; turning to look at them as they finally reached the front of the house.

"We were wondering where you were. Off making out somewhere?"

Riku scoffed, walking past them and over to the door so they could all gather inside.

Bags were laid aside, and in less than a minute's time they were all in the living room.

"So tell me, how have you two been for the past two weeks?"

Leon was asking in a rather sarcastic tone as he glanced from one to the other.

"I'm sure you can imagine how it's been." The silver-haired teen had his arms crossed as he sat on the arm of a huge chair.

"Sora? Wanna tell me the truth?"

Those cloudy-grey eyes pierced through bright blue just as Sora felt himself fidgeting with the bottom of his shirt.

"Well um, it was weird but-"

"Nothing happened."

The other three looked over at Riku as he had intervened in the middle of what Sora's explanation.

"_Really_?" Leon raised an eyebrow, looking over at Sora again to see him suddenly looking rather dejected and withdrawn.

"Yes really. We're best friends and nothing more. Right Sora?"

Cloud remained silent just as Leon stood up, walking over to Riku to stare at him closely.

"So you're telling me that you don't love Sora?"

Aqua eyes shifted, glancing over at Sora to see him staring at him almost hopelessly. Half-way pleading, unsure of what to do or so, Riku could see all of that through the contact of their gazes. He wanted to say yes, I do love him. He did. He truly did.

But his pride was overwhelming his sense, even more so with how Leon was almost taunting and mocking him with the underlying look in his eyes.

"I don't."

Feeling like the atmosphere was becoming too much, Sora felt himself lose all patience that he had.

"_**You lie**_!"

His voice shot through the room, echoing slightly as he instantly got up, grabbing his back from the table near the door and leaving the house with the door slamming behind him.

The other three had turned, staring at him as he did so. A shocked look etched on Riku's face as a smug on showed on Leon's.

Sora ran. He ran as fast as he could away from the huge house that had felt all too small in that instant.

He hated it. **All of it.** The bet, the lies, the deceit. And now he hated the best friend that he had fallen in love with.

_All from a stupid bet._


	15. 14: Doing It Wrong

_Gaining and Losing_

**Chapter 14**: Doing It Wrong

* * *

Sora ran for what felt like ages. He kept running, further and further away from anything that was in his realm of normalcy. When he finally reached the docks, he wanted to get onto the boat, to row out into the nothingness of the island far away, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it.

That boat alone held such symbolism to him, and the fact that he had been in it with a certain person just hours before made him feel nothing but disgust and anger. It was growing steadily, so he settled with just sitting on the side of the dock, feet dangling off as he finally opened his mouth to let out a huge scream.

It was loud. Luckily the dock was rather far away from any neighborhood so it went unheard. Only the soft movement of the ocean and wind were his response to that cry.

Too much swirled in his mind, the disbelief at his friend, the anger towards him now, and the unnerving feeling that he should've seen this coming. He knew better than to brush off Riku's pride as an unimportant guise in their relationship. Was it even a relationship? He wasn't even sure he could call it that now, it was still so new and now it just felt like the last thing he ever wanted to do.

The sound of a board creaking from behind made him look over. Half-hoping to see the silver-haired individual, he was greeted with a pair of green eyes instead.

"Cloud?"

He said nothing at first, simply took a seat next to the other on the side of the dock.

"You're really upset aren't you?"

Sora looked down at his lap, trying not to appear weak in front of Cloud of all people. He had been one of his first real opponents when he had first wielded the keyblade. The last thing he wanted to do was show how unbalanced his emotions could get since he was supposed to be more refined given all his harsh experiences.

It was still hard not to let his voice waver though as he spoke.

"I didn't expect something to really happen, and I know Riku didn't either."

"But it did."

"Yeah it did." Sora felt his voice rising as he spoke, his anger brimming into his words. "And he's just acting like everything was nothing so he doesn't have to deal with what-_a stupid __**smirk**__ from Leon_?!" His hands were lashing out as he was practically yelling at Cloud now who was as quiet as ever and staring at him. "It's pathetic and stupid and-"

"It doesn't feel like they really love you when they do something like that."

The brown-haired boy suddenly slunk down where he sat, hearing everything that he was about to say.

"When they choose themselves over you, an act of selfishness can change how you view them." Sora felt tears stinging his eyes, he gripped at his leg, trying to hold them back. "But it's hard because you still love them regardless." But the understanding that was spoken from Cloud made him unable to hold back anymore.

"I hate him."

Cloud leaned over just as Sora completely broke, letting himself fall against the other's chest. An arm reached around him to hold him close as he unraveled in the moment of understanding tinted with heartbreak.

Two individuals stood from afar. The cliff nearby allowing a pair of aqua and cloudy-blue eyes to stare down at the scene below.

"I think it's pretty clear I won."

Leon's words filtered through him like a fire. He hated the smugness that he could already hear, and he didn't want to look over at him since he knew that smirk would be there too.

"No, you didn't."

"You really expect me to believe that when Sora is down there on the verge of a breakdown?" Leon crossed his arms, staring over at the silver-haired teen that was still more focused on glancing down below.

"It was one-sided, so that's not my fault."

"One-sided? So you're telling me you don't feel anything for him at all?"

"I don't." Riku stood still, staring at how Cloud was holding the boy against him, the soft sound of sobbing heard even from far away.

"So you won't care if Sora dates someone else then?"

Aqua eyes looked up at this.

"Maybe Cloud?" Leon glanced down at the two further off. "He's doing a pretty good job of being there for him now. Isn't that what you used to do for Sora when you were still friends?"

"We are still friends."

"Are you serious? You really think Sora is even going to let you go anywhere near him after all of this?"

That smirk only grew wider as Riku felt his anger increase with how he spoke.

"You've ruined everything between you two. We all know how stubborn Sora is too, so good luck ever getting him back."

"There was nothing-there is no _'all of this'_-stop saying-"

"Riku would you grow the hell up and stop letting your pride fuck up everything."

Leon's voice grew so loud, so authoritative that it shocked Riku into saying nothing.

"Do you honestly think I did this just to humiliate you?"

"Yes."

"Sora touched _all_ of our lives a year ago, not just yours."

Riku faltered suddenly, taken off-guard from how Leon's smirk completely vanished and his blue-grey eyes showed the storm that matched his true name. _Squall_.

"I wanted to help him-and you- see what was best for you. But I tested you too, seeing if you would realize that Sora would be more fucking important than your goddamn pride."

The gunblade-wielder stepped closer, his words striking like knives as he kept on his justification. The sudden, violent windstorm spared Riku no time to even try to reply.

"Sora is down there close to losing his damn mind, and you're still up here arguing with me about something as stupid as a bet. If you're really that fucking selfish, then you don't deserve him at all."

It took a mere second for Riku to come face to face with irises that were shining with determination.

"I guess I don't."

"No, you don't."

There was nothing else he could do or say. He'd already damaged things beyond repair. Turning away, he couldn't even bring himself to spare one more glance at the scene below. There was so much hate for himself, the feeling of isolation and hatred filled him much like it had a few years ago. The loss of the one thing he held most dear to him coupled with the fact that Leon actually was just trying to help made him feel like he had hit rock bottom.

The only certainty he knew, was that nothing would be the same now.


	16. 15: Backward and Forward

_Gaining and Losing_

**Chapter 15**: Backward and Forward

* * *

Sora had been in the middle of an intense grieving period.

He had been sobbing for what felt like ages, and he still hadn't even made it home at the normal time he would when school ended. Arms were still wrapped around him, the sky darkening in its orange glow just as a creak on the pier gathered the attention of the two occupants.

The presence of Leon made the brunette feel a bit uneasy, but the subtle grip on his arms by the one near him made him calm down a little.

"Things didn't go as planned."

"I saw that a while ago."

Confusion seeped into Sora's mind as he listened to the small banter between the other two.

"What didn't go as planned?"

Leon gave Cloud a look before the blonde spoke up.

"This bet was more of a way to help you two be together-"

"Before Riku went and fucked it up." The one clothed in black intervened in that statement just as Sora had a visible look of confusion on his face.

"So wait-you guys set us up on purpose…not just for a game?" He sniffled as he felt his tears drying on his cheeks a little.

"It was more of a test for Riku too…which he failed."

"Not surprising." Leon added on once again as he crossed his arms over his chest in one of his usual mannerisms.

"We need to do some damage control."

"I'm not doing shit for him."

"I meant for _him_." Cloud referred to the one sitting beside of him and not the silver-haired teen.

Leon thought over the prospect for a few moments. "Let's go out tonight."

"Out? Out where?" Going out on a school night was not something Sora generally did unless it consisted of video games, lots of food, and Riku. The last part of that was definitely not an option right now.

"To a club."

"I don't know, I've never been..."

"Even more reason to go to one."

"I'm sure it'll give you enough things to do to keep your mind off everything." Cloud reassured him just as Leon's gaze shifted to blue eyes.

"You up for it?"

Sora made a split-second decision. If anything, he definitely needed a distraction right now.

"Yeah. I'm okay with doing that."

"All right. So clubbing it is then." A slight smirk actually formed on Leon's lips regardless of the circumstances.

The three parted ways, agreeing to meet up at Cloud's place in a few hours given it was the closest one to the club. The good thing about living in such a small town was the fact that everything was conveniently close. That also left room for rumors to spread very quickly though given how close everyone was to one another.

It hardly took Sora the ten minutes to walk from the dock to his house to see Kairi sitting on his doorstep almost desperately running over to him as soon as he appeared on the lawn.

"Oh god Sora are you okay? I heard what happened..."

"Are you kidding? It's only been like two hours tops."

"Yeah, but you know we're all close and news travels fast..."

"I guess the whole school knows by now?"

Sora was going through the motions of fumbling for his keys in his school bag, unlocking the door, letting them inside before re-locking the door, and heading into the kitchen to go for a good comfort food.

"Sort of. The stories are all different, so the truth isn't really there it's just a half-truth."

"So it's just high school."

"Pretty much."

Sora was heating up his favorite pizza just as he felt the girl's eyes on him.

"So what _did_ happen?"

Sighing and trying to avoid her gaze, he tried to explain it all without breaking down again. The smell of pizza lured him enough to at least keep from crying, and when the microwave beeped he was easily devouring into the pepperoni pizza which gave Kairi enough time for her girly analysis of things.

"This doesn't surprise me at all. Well the Leon trying to help does surprise me, but the Riku thing doesn't."

"It just really pisses me off. You know since I went out and risked my life and everything just trying to save the universe and him. You'd think he would at least be able to know how to give up that **one **bad habit of his from when we were younger."

"Well I'm sure he's realizing now what an idiot he is."

"Yeah…anyways, we're going out to a club tonight."

"What-really? You're going out somewhere?"

"Why are you so surprised by that?"

"You just…I can't even get you to go with me to the mall half the time, much less a club."

"I just like doing nothing."

"You mean being lazy."

"Shut up."

"Living in the man cave."

"Shut up."

"I'm at least going to help you get ready then. Your normal jeans and a t-shirt you might've already worn two days in a row isn't going to work tonight."

"Oh come on, who's going to notice? It's not like I'm going to be picking up chicks or something."

"You're on the rebound, so you shouldn't feel bad if you actually want to do that." Sora made a weird face as if he was starting to think about that statement too much which made Kairi jump up and walk around the counter to shake his shoulders a little. "Oh lighten up Sora you silly thing, look, it's fine for you to just go out and have fun. If you flirt then you flirt and if you don't then just do your stupid dance and drink if they're able to get drinks."

"We're gonna be drinking?"

"You might be." Kairi suddenly imagined Sora and alcohol and got a little worried. "Okay so if they give you drinks just..don't drink them all at once."

"Right."

Sora was going to have to start taking notes.

They ended up heading to his room gradually, Kairi incessantly talking about how the night could possibly go. She started raiding his closet, trying to find something that was actually clean and suitable for him to wear. All the while Sora sat on his bed, eating another piece of pizza and only stopping to slip on a shirt or pair of jeans that would be thrown at him.

"Mmm no I like the blue one more."

"This one?" Sora had a piece of crust in his mouth as he pointed to one of the five different shirts on his bed.

"Yeah that one. And I think maybe these jeans-hmm maybe." She tilted her head while holding up a pair of dark blue jeans, her eyes darting back and forth between different clothing.

As he finished his pizza and just sat there, it was the first time in the past few hours that he had actually stopped doing something long enough to have his thoughts drift to the reality of things. Riku had..well betrayed him in a way. It really hurt to remember it. He was grateful for his friends trying to keep him distracted, because he really didn't take coping with things very well. Not to mention crying so much that it physically hurt really sucked.

"Do you have protection?"

Sora sputtered, breathing in and forgetting how to speak long enough that it made him choke.

"F-or…" He coughed roughly while breathing in uneasily. "For what?"

"You know what."

"What are you my mom now?"

"Someone has to be a stand in. Part time best friend, part time maternal figure."

"That says a lot about our relationship before."

Sora made a face just as Kairi moved to sit on the bed, jeans still in her hand.

"Look. I'm just saying in case something happens you should be prepared. You never know."

"Just because my life is like a soap opera right now doesn't mean that I'm going to go down _that_ road."

"Like I said, you never know."

"I don't plan on doing that with some stranger."

"Saving it for someone special?"

The concept made Sora feel weirdly unsure of how to even reply. Sure, he might've wanted to do it with someone special for the first time, but he didn't even have that now since..all that stuff happened.

Yeah he was just labeling it as _stuff_ for now. Strange coping mechanism of his.

"Well if something does happen, I'm sure you'll be able to bum one off of one of the other two or whoever you're with."

Sora just nodded, not really wanting to think too much on that possibility. Sure he'd thought of sex before, sure he'd touched himself before, he just wasn't really all that into it since..he'd never even gotten very far with Kairi. In terms of sexual endeavors, making out was usually his stopping point.

Thinking of his best friend recently had gotten him..no not thinking about that stuff.

"So anyways, you're going to wear this. But first, into the shower you go."

"What-wait I didn't even get to finish my soda-"

"Shower, now."

"Yes dear."

The boy's sarcastic statement was followed by him trailing into the bathroom with the outfit and swiftly shutting the door and locking it behind of him.

The borderline for sanity to insanity was being tested on Riku quite greatly.

He laid in his bed, had been for nearly three hours now. Staring up at the ceiling, every little moment of the past two weeks kept replaying in his mind from start to finish. How had he actually managed to screw up the one good thing he finally had going for him?

Sora had already been his best friend that had been the good thing. It was going to be a great thing to have him complete the other half of his soul or whatever concept that made up the romantic sense of things. In the end, he had messed it all up by letting his constant habit of relying solely on his pride drive the boy away.

Now he had no Sora, no best friend, and it made him feel like shit.

The whole staying at home, lying in bed, self-loathing thing wasn't really helping either. As he shifted a bit onto his side, he heard his phone go off at the same time. Reaching for it blindly, he grabbed it from near his leg, pressing a few buttons to read a text he had received.

**Text Received From Cloud:**

_We're going out tonight. If you want to fix things then your ass better be there._

**Text Sent From Riku:**

_What are you my savior or some shit? Leon would fuck you up if he knew you were sending me this kind of information._

**Text Received From Cloud:**

_If it comes to that I'll sort it out myself._

_If Sora means anything to you, be there._

**Text Sent From Riku:**

_Fine. When and where?_

**Text Received from Cloud:**

_8PM. Club Envy._

Riku glanced at the time, seeing he had less than an hour to get ready and be on the way there. Sending a quick reply he slid out of bed, heading through his normal routine that he did when he used to go clubbing on a regular basis.

His hands were shaking as he grabbed one of his better outfits. He wasn't sure just how things were going to go, and he knew that his best friend was more than stubborn when they ever got into fights. It was definitely going to be a challenge to win him back.

But he would spend the whole night searching and fighting with him if he had to. He was going to win him back no matter what it took.

**Text Sent From Riku:**

_Thanks. I'll be there._


	17. 16: Falling Through

_Gaining and Losing_

**Chapter 15**: Falling Through

* * *

By the time Sora had reached Cloud's house, he had already felt so out of his element.

Dressing up in anything but jeans and a t-shirt was not normal for him. Going out into town this late wasn't either, and he found himself missing the video game controller that was almost always permanently glued to his hands. Not being his usual companion either really had him feeling moments of regret. But the remembrance of some hours ago made those regrets wash away just as quickly as they had formed.

"Let's not waste any time." Leon stated as soon as Sora had appeared on the doorstep.

The other two were dressed in their usual color scheme of black and dark blue, but in a nicer form of jeans, shirts, and jackets. Sora was trying to get used to the outfit that the girl had picked out for him, but he hated the fact that when he tried to slip his phone into the pocket alongside his leg, he found nothing. This was definitely a change from the cargo shorts he wore around the house.

Having to put the phone in the tight pocket right at his hip, he remained relatively quiet during the short walk into town. The nightlights could be seen from afar, and as they drew closer to the inner-most section of downtown, the club that they were steadily approaching was visibly glowing the words 'Club Envy' on the front of the building.

A line was already steadily forming outside, but Leon simply walked up to the front man, exchanging a few words and hand gestures before the red cord was lifted and they were allowed entrance inside.

The club was thoroughly packed already. Lights were flashing pigments of red and green. A bar stretched out on the left side and the dance floor was raging with people. Some faces could be recognized from school, but he tried to avoid any eye contact. The last thing he needed now was more rumors spreading. People on the island had way too much time on their hands, and far too active of imaginations. He didn't want to be the talk of being in a three-way with Cloud and Leon or some random crap like that.

Trying not to feel too out of place, he let Cloud lead him to the bar. The blonde easily got them drinks. As he handed a green-looking drink to Sora, he gave him a reassuring look.

"What…is this?"

"It's called an Orgasm."

Sora made a face caught between shock and unsureity.

"I know you like sweet things. You won't taste the alcohol, trust me."

"O..kay.." Sora had already found out how he hated beer from a past experience of taste testing. The drink seemed harmless enough after a few sips, and soon he found himself all but chugging down the contents as they sat at the bar that was radiating light blue from the counter-top.

Leon was brooding over his second beer as Cloud sat next to him. The two were making conversation at times, having to lean in closer than expected to hear over the music. Sora tried not to stare, and it was becoming easier as the alcohol was working its way through his inexperienced system rather quickly. Soon he found himself leaning over to Cloud, but the blonde was giving the bartender a pointed look just as another of the same drink was already prepared and laid on the counter for the brunette before it could even be ordered.

"From the red-head." The guy tilted his head over to the other side of the bar where a guy with red hair gave him a smile and a wink with his alluring shade of green irises.

Cloud simply shrugged and gave the okay to drink it. The brunette nodded to him in thanks, a small, goofy smile starting to form on his face from the alcohol rushing through him. He brought the cup to his lips, sipping the second cup of the same drink. It was as he set the cup down that the stranger had made his way over and was standing next to him where he sat.

"Hey."

"Oh um hey." Sora glanced at the drink and then back to the small-framed yet tall guy next to him. "Thanks for this."

"No problem. It's always routine for me to buy at least one cute guy a drink."

"Yeah?" The insinuation made Sora feel his heart beat run off the rails a bit, but surprisingly, he was more relaxed and didn't tense up as much as he would've before. The fact that he had been attracted to at least one person of the same sex opened the idea that maybe he would've found another he was attracted to. The idea was much easier to grasp when he wasn't entirely sober.

"It's also routine for me to ask them to dance."

Sora took a few more chugs of his drink before sliding off the stool and nodding with a smile on his face. "Yeah okay."

The blonde gave the two a look before turning to the other sitting next to him.

"The name's Reno." The guy had managed to shift a hand onto the teen's hip as they shifted into the crowd.

"I'm Sora." The hand on his hip made him feel a sudden thrill shoot through him. He hadn't felt anything close to this since the one night he thought that his best friend was going to kiss him out on the.._**no,**_ avoiding that stuff. It wasn't important anymore.

"You go to school around here?"

Sora barely managed to yell out his reply as they moved more onto the dance floor, finding a semi-crowded spot just as the bass kicked in and they split apart with enough room between them to jump and dance as they pleased.

He had never danced before, aside from trying to impersonate the Napoleon Dynamite dance. So with his arms flailing and the alcohol pushing him into a freer mindset, he was starting to tap into the basic ideals of dancing that he was seeing around him. Just thrusting his hips sometimes, tilting his head, letting himself be led by the music.

There was nothing holding him back anymore. He'd felt so lost, so unsure of what he was going to do given everything that happened. Everything simple hadn't seemed as easy anymore, and everything that he had always been sure about was now nothing but a crumbling set of truths.

But as he moved on the dance floor, letting a pair of hands grip onto his hips to pull him closer, he felt like it could all be figured out at some other point in time. For now, he was becoming lost in the moment, his hands gripping at the black vest that was opened over the other's chest. As the bass dropped again and their bodies swerved down together, their hips connected, and eyes met through the flashing lights of the club.

Green and blue-grey eyes glanced at the scene before returning to their drinks set on the bar.

"You would think it would be harder for him to transition to doing something like that." Leon mused over the concept as he lifted his beer to his lips.

"When people get their heart broken, they're grateful for distractions." The blonde stated almost knowingly as he watched the man near him.

"I figure most people prefer to sit around at home and be depressed when that shit happens."

"Well Sora isn't most people."

"That's true." Leon paused for a moment, setting a hand on the counter as he started shift to look at the other. "You make it sound like you've been through this before."

"I'm sure everyone has gone through a heartbreak at least once in their life." Cloud surveyed the other before adding on. "You did with Rinoa right?"

"That wasn't heartbreak, that was getting rid of unnecessary baggage."

The faintest mutterings of 'stupid slut' was heard from Leon just as the blonde inwardly smiled in amusement.

The dances went on for a while, going on an hour.

Every time a new song would come on, they would either be able to converse somewhat if it was soft enough or they would be stuck dancing non-stop from start to finish.

Unknowingly, with every flash, their bodies were moving closer, lips shifting from feet apart to mere inches. It was almost as if they were being led along with the entrancing lyrics, the bridges in the songs making them feel the temptation that was unfolding.

Before the brunette knew it, he was being pushed through the crowd, ending up against the wall of a nearby pillar. His body was trapped with the tall one of the red-head's; his hands were gripping at the open vest as he responded to the rough kiss that was forced on his lips.

Eyes slid shut; all care was about to be cast away with the rhythm until a voice slid in between, completely breaking the happenings.

"Sora!"

Blue eyes snapped to the left, hands falling as the grip on his hips suddenly loosened.

Riku stared, a slight hint of anger and something else lingering through his aqua eyes. As they simply stared at one another for a few moments, Sora couldn't even take just being under his gaze and pulled away from the red-head, darting and trying to disappear into the crowd.

"Sora!" Though a mixture of too many emotions were pushing him to follow the brunette, Riku was still yelling that one name, repeating it in his mind and through his words as he pushed past people in an attempt to catch up.

The darkness of the club overtook any light as Sora stumbled off the dance floor and his hands slid along the wall that shifted into a corridor. He moved along, almost feeling blind as the only light that kept him going was the light at the end of the small hallway. It was so faint, and the drink that he had was slowly wearing off but it still made him feel somewhat out of it.

The concept of his best friend following him though was quickly forcing him back into reality though.

"Sora-wait!"

Riku glanced around the dark hallway, managing to catch the small figure in the traces of darkness. As he moved forward, he could see that figure now moving underneath the light further ahead.

"Go away."

"I can't-"

"Yes you can."

The smaller teen had barely made it underneath the light just as a figure swooped in front of him, standing so close that he shied away and was pressed back into the wall.

"I have to tell you something."

"I don't want to hear it."

Sora glared while trying to think of how he was going to get out of this. He didn't want to hear or see or just anything to do with the person in front of him right now.

"It's really important-"

"Important? Do you know what else was really important? _Me_. _**My feelings.**_ Our friendship-and whatever _else_ **might've** been there."

"I know it was impor-"

"**No** you _don't_. You think your pride is more important. That's how it's _always_ been though. I guess, you just couldn't stop being selfish long enough to figure out that maybe you need to-"

"**I know**!"

The yell intervened making the brunette suddenly stop short and stare up at the other.

"I fucked up okay, _I know that_. All I've been doing is thinking about it, about how I made you cry."

Sora looked away, trying not to listen to the words that were far too prominent not to take in.

"I hurt you, I hurt you again and I'm so sorry." Silver locks shifted over eyes that were still set on the boy in front of him. "I kept thinking, maybe you'd really be better off without me around. You wouldn't have to deal with all the fuck ups and how selfish I can be. But I remembered how we already went through this already."

The reminiscence of two years ago started up, and Riku could hardly keep his voice steady as he spoke.

"When I accepted the darkness, I was completely caught up in my own selfishness. I didn't care who I hurt, and it got to the point where I couldn't even remember you. I couldn't remember our friendship, all the years we grew up together. But you didn't give up on me."

He breathed in slightly, his voice visibly wearing thin now as he could sense the other starting to try and look back at him.

"And you know, when you tried to come back for me, I tried to help you. I didn't want you to see me that way though, I didn't want you to see how my pride got the better of me, and it ended up completely changing how I looked because I craved that power. I thought I needed it to make me better."

Sora was steadily looking up to aqua eyes now.

"And when you touched me, all you had to do was _touch me_; I remembered that I don't need anything except you."

The sensation of tears prickling the corners of various shades of blue began.

"I _need_ **you **in my life. I had forgotten that, until tonight."

Eyes connected, remaining unmoving as words were spoken through soft intakes of breath.

"It's selfish of me to expect you to just forgive me after what I did today. I know it is, and I guess this would be the last time I would ever be selfish."

Sora was taking in the words now, the sobriety gradually kicking in as he was now becoming too enraptured with the way the other was talking.

"You know if I make promises I never break them..we never break them, that's the vow we have lived by ever since we were little. So please, forgive me.." He moved a hand onto a cheek that had a single tear falling now. "I won't ever put anything or anyone else above you again because I love you Sora."

"I shouldn't. I should hate you."

"I know you should."

"But I can't-I can't make myself-" Sora hiccupped softly as he was trying to keep himself from outright sobbing. "I hate you for that."

Riku smiled, a soft chuckle coming from him as he tried not to let too many tears fall from his eyes. "I'll gladly take that hate then."

Their eyes met in a gentle gaze regardless of the tears that were mixed in. Riku cupped the side of the boy's face, leaning down to gently press a kiss to his lips. It was simple, chaste, but only for a few moments as the feelings enveloped them.

Sora tilted his head into it, responding with all the emotions he was inwardly feeling. He couldn't imagine his life without his best friend, and feeling his lips pressing onto his own was making his chest swell, his body becoming hot, and his hands found themselves darting out to grip onto the black shirt the other wore.

Riku felt the sudden response, the kiss becoming something different as their mouths parted and tongues touched and ran together. His milky-white hands slid down the teen's small frame, moving to his hips as he pressed forward and kept him pinned into the wall now.

The passion continued to creep in, the remembrance of a stranger having been so close to doing what he was now doing to this very person drove Riku forward without hesitation. He forced a kiss so hard it was sure to bruise, but the softest sound of a whimper and moan came in response to such a thing. He licked at the boy's lower lip, managing a rough whisper as their hips were starting to rub together from how heated things were becoming.

"Have I ever told you how much I've grown to want you.."

"No.."

"I want you…in _**every**_ way. I don't want anyone else having you that way either." He let his lips brush over pink ones that were blemished with red. "Can I be possessive instead of selfish.."

The question made Sora take in the words, responding without even having to think through a decent reply. "Yes." Possessive was fine, _more_ than fine with the way his best friend was looking at him and touching him and just being with him.

"Can I be possessive now..?" The question was spoken in a way that was opening a possible invitation.

"Yes please."


End file.
